Lymphadenopathy and Lymphadenitis Lymphadenopathy is defined as disease of the lymph nodes, but the term is more commonly used to denote lymph node enlargement. Enlarged lymph nodes can arise in association with a wide variety of infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic…
Lymphadenopathy, the abnormal enlargement of lymph nodes, can result from a wide variety of infectious and noninfectious causes. Acute enlargement of superficial lymph nodes caused by infection can occur over a period of days, accompanied by pain and tenderness to…
Anatomy of the Mediastinum The mediastinum is the space between the pleural cavities that contains the heart and all chest viscera except the lungs. Consisting of loose areolar tissue and organs, the mediastinum is more a potential space than an…
Epidemiology Neck masses in children, unlike those in adults, seldom represent ominous disease. Most (95%) masses are acute, enlarged, or inflamed lymph nodes and are transient in nature. In one series, 44% of children younger than 5 years had palpable…
Anatomy and Function of Lymphoid Tissue The lymphoid system is composed of an extensive capillary network that drains lymph into elaborate systems of collecting vessels. The collecting vessels merge and empty lymph into the bloodstream by way of the thoracic…
Optimal evaluation of patients with prolonged, recurring, or periodic fever requires extensive review of signs and symptoms to establish the onset and cardinal features of illness, to define the exact fever pattern, and to understand the context of illness within…
Most young children with fever and no apparent focus of infection have self-limited viral infections that resolve without treatment and are not associated with significant sequelae. However, a small proportion of young children with fever who do not appear to…
Generally, in differentiating between bacterial and viral causes of febrile illnesses in children, the more mucous membranes involved in the patient’s illness (e.g., conjunctiva, throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal tract), the more likely the cause is viral. When multiple mucous membranes are…
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a hyperinflammatory syndrome characterized by the accumulation of activated T lymphocytes and well-differentiated macrophages (histiocytes) in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, and, often, the central nervous system (CNS). , HLH is a rare disease…
Epidemiology Sepsis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children across the globe. In the US, the estimated incidence annually is 1 case per 1000 persons, an increase compared with prior years. , , Sepsis now accounts for…