J Korean Surg Soc.  2002 May;62(5):442-445.

Chronic Actinomycosis of the Cervical Lymph Node Simulating a Thyroid Neoplasm

• Suh YJ
• Jung H
• Chin HM
• Cho HM
• Won YS
• Kim JG
• Park WB
• Chun CS

Abstract

Actinomycosis in humans is currently a rare disease. Here we report a case of cervicofacial actinomycosis in a 24-year- old man. The patient presented with a painful cervical mass, without symptoms of infection. Clinical features and results of laboratory and imaging studies of the patient suggested a thyroid neoplasm or subacute thyroiditis. Fine needle aspiration cytology failed to yield a definite diagnosis. The pathologic report after a curative operation confirmed the presence of the characteristic sulfur granules in the lymph node just above the left lobe of the thyroid gland. Here we describe this rare case with a review of the typical clinical presentations of actinomycosis on the head and neck, its pathogenesis on the difficulties encountered in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Keyword

Actinomycosis; Cervicofacial; Lymph node

MeSH Terms

Actinomycosis*
Actinomycosis, Cervicofacial
Biopsy, Fine-Needle
Diagnosis
Head
Humans
Lymph Nodes*
Neck
Rare Diseases
Sulfur
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Neoplasms*
Thyroiditis, Subacute
Sulfur