Fibromatosis colli: Is it a vascularised lesion on Doppler ultrasound? A systematic review of case studies

Abstract

Background:

Fibromatosis colli, or sternocleidomastoid pseudotumor of infancy, is a rare condition characterised by a unilateral neck mass in infants, often associated with birth trauma. Ultrasound is the primary diagnostic tool, but the role of Doppler ultrasound to assess lesion vascularity is underexplored. This study investigates the vascularity of fibromatosis colli lesions and explores its possible clinical implications.

Methods:

A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Four databases were searched twice for case reports involving patients aged 0–16 years diagnosed with fibromatosis colli and assessed with Doppler ultrasound. Data was analysed using SPSS^® to identify the proportion of vascularised fibromatosis colli lesions, with a secondary aim of establishing if there is a link between vascularisation status and age.

Results:

Twenty case reports (34 cases total) were included. Sixty-two per cent of lesions were vascularised on Doppler ultrasound. No significant age-related difference (p = 0.24) was found between patients with vascularised versus non-vascularised lesions.

Conclusions:

Doppler ultrasound is underused for assessing vascularity in fibromatosis colli, and standardised imaging protocols are lacking across published reports. The prognostic value of the presence of vascularisation in fibromatosis colli remains uncertain due to the limited and heterogeneous nature of the data. Larger, prospective studies using clearly defined Doppler protocols are necessary to determine the clinical relevance of vascularisation in fibromatosis colli management.