# Painful Enlarging Cervical Mass in Young Male

## TL;DR

A young man with a painful neck mass was diagnosed with tuberculosis, highlighting the importance of considering scrofula in similar cases.

## Contribution

The case emphasizes the need to consider tuberculosis as a cause of cervical masses in patients with relevant risk factors.

## Key findings

- A large cystic neck mass with septations and hypoechoic lesions was identified using ultrasound.
- Tuberculosis blood test was positive, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured.
- Scrofula should be included in the differential diagnosis for enlarging neck masses with tuberculosis risk factors.

## Abstract

A 32-year-old male who recently immigrated from Kenya presented to the emergency department (ED) with a painful, enlarging, right-sided neck mass for eight weeks duration. Point-of-care ultrasound was used to reveal a large cystic mass with internal septations and numerous hypoechoic round lesions. Initial tuberculosis blood test ordered in the ED was positive with cultures ultimately growing Mycobaceterium tuberculosis.

Scrofula should be considered in the differential in patients presenting with enlarging neck masses who have epidemiological risk factors for tuberculosis.