A Case of Glomus Tumor of the Anterior Neck

Abstract

A 54-year-old woman presented with an anterior neck subcutaneous tumor that had appeared one month prior. Mild tenderness was noted. As a diagnosis was difficult to make based on physical examination and ultrasonography, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was performed. Both examinations revealed a 1-cm subcutaneous mass with well-defined margins; the MRI scan was hypointense on T1-weighted images and slightly hyperintense with low point foci on T2-weighted images. Subsequently, an excisional biopsy was performed, and the pathologic diagnosis of glomus tumor was obtained. Glomus tumors usually present as a painful subcutaneous mass beneath the nail bed but may be painless or occur in areas other than the fingers. Because glomus tumors in the neck resemble a variety of diseases, their diagnosis may be delayed. This case highlights the importance of considering glomus tumors as a potential cause of neck subcutaneous tumors.

Keywords

• glomus tumor
• anterior neck
• subcutaneous tumor
• diagnosis
• tenderness