TREATMENTS &
RESEARCH

Search the
latest
treatment
information
here.

Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist

Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
 

FACE MASS

FACE MASS: Excerpt from Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care

To develop a list of possible causes of a face mass, let’s turn to anatomy. The face is composed of skin, subcutaneous tissues, muscle, bone, teeth, the sinuses, salivary glands, arteries, veins, and nerves. Applying the mnemonic VINDICATE to each one of these structures, we can come up with an excellent list of possibilities: Skin and subcutaneous tissues—Carbuncles, cellulitis, sebaceous cysts; lipomas, carcinomas, angioneurotic edema, etc. Muscle—myositis, myomas, hypertrophy Bone—Osteomas, metastatic tumor, multiple myelomas, osteomyelitis Teeth—Dental abscess, neoplasm Sinuses—Wegener midline granuloma, mucormycosis, neoplasm Salivary glands—mumps, tumors, calculus, Mikulicz syndrome Arteries and veins—Hemangiomas, arteriovenous fistula Nerves—Neuroma, neurofibromatosis

Approach to the Diagnosis

If infection is suspected, smears and cultures of exudates should be done. X-rays of the skull, sinuses, and jaw may be helpful. A computed tomography (CT) scan will be more definitive. If neoplasm or granuloma is suspected, a biopsy or excision will be necessary. If there is still doubt about the etiology, an oral surgeon or otolaryngologist should be consulted.

Other Useful Tests

  1. Complete blood count (CBC) (infection)
  2. Sedimentation rate (abscess, osteomyelitis)
  3. Chest x-ray (tuberculosis, Wegener granulomatosis)
  4. Chemistry panel (multiple myeloma)
  5. Blood cultures (osteomyelitis)
  6. X-ray of the teeth (dental abscess)
  7. Trial of epinephrine and antihistamines (angioneurotic edema)
  8. Sialography (salivary gland duct calculus)
  9. Cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (C–ANCA) test (Wegener granulomatosis)

Book Source Details

  • Book Title: Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care
  • Author(s): R. Douglas Collins MD, FACP
  • Year of Publication: 2007
  • Copyright Details: Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care, Copyright © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

More About Osteoporosis

More Medical Textbooks Online about Osteoporosis

Review other book chapters online related to Osteoporosis:

Medical Books Excerpts
  • RECTAL MASS
  • "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
  • ANAL MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • BACK MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • SKIN MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • HEAD MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • Osteoporosis
  • "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)
  • Bone Cyst
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Low Back Pain
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Mediastinal Mass
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Scrotal Mass
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • ANAL MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • BACK MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • FACE MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • SKIN MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • HEAD MASS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
 

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.




More About This Book:
Title: Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care
Authors: R. Douglas Collins MD, FACP
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 0-7817-6812-8

 » Next page: ORAL OR LINGUAL MASS (Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care)

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

Tools & Services:

Medical Articles:

Forums & Message Boards

 
HONcode We subscribe to the HONcode principles

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs. Please see our Terms of Use.

Home | Symptoms | Diseases | Diagnosis | Videos | Tools | Forum | About Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Site Map | Advertise