Neck Lump Clinic

Welcome to the Neck Lump Clinic. This leaflet is designed to give you information about what to expect at your consultation.

Our aim in this clinic is to obtain as much information as possible and prevent the need for you to make multiple trips to the hospital for tests and results.

Many patients find it useful to bring a friend or a family member with them and we would encourage this. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask at any time during the afternoon.

During your appointment there may be several procedures undertaken with a number of different doctors from the team; therefore, we would like you to be available for several hours during the afternoon.

Clinical examination

The consultant will take your medical history and carry out a careful examination of any lumps and your ears, nose and throat. This may include an examination of your throat with a small flexible telescope. Following this examination, one or more of the following tests may need to be done before you leave the clinic:

Ultrasound
This procedure and test is painless, and takes just a few minutes, using sound waves to build up a picture of the structures of the neck and any abnormality. It may also be used to guide needle aspiration cytology of any lumps (see below).

Needle aspiration cytology
This is a simple procedure similar to having blood taken. In some cases, this test may need to be repeated. Please be aware that this test is sometimes uncomfortable; local anesthetic is available.

Core biopsy
In some situations, if the lump is very large or very firm, a core biopsy may be necessary. You will be given a local anaesthetic to numb the area to be tested; some small samples of tissue will be removed and sent to the hospital laboratory for analysis.

Contact numbers

We hope that you have found this information useful. If you have any queries before your appointment date, please contact the ENT secretaries on 01305 254205 or talk to staff at the clinic on the day of appointment.

Should you experience any urgent problem after the clinic, please contact the on-call ENT doctor at Dorset County Hospital on 01305 251100 or your own GP.

About this leaflet

Author: Jane Hanson, Head Neck and Thyroid CNS 2009
Updated: Mr R Sim, Consultant ENT Surgeon, September 2020 Approved: September 2020
Review date: September 2023
Edition: 2

If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk