1. < Head & Neck Cancer

MRI show inflamed lymph node in neck: What does this mean?

Posted by afpendergrass94 @afpendergrass94, Apr 23, 2021

What does it mean when an MRI scan shows inflamed lymph node tissue in your neck. I have had this knot in my neck behind my right ear for quite some time now and it is only getting bigger and starting to cause discomfort. I have more symptoms as well.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Dec 19, 2021
In reply to @concernodules "I feel as though I've been given a Runaround, as my discouragement has lead for ME..." + (show)
@concernodules

I feel as though I've been given a Runaround, as my discouragement has lead for ME to reach out on my own.
The week before Thankgiving, my throat was so soar; i feel like i loat some of my Voice. Because time is precious, I went to a CHI Clinic.
She couldn't believe how my tonsils looked. Strep Test came up negative. She diagnosed me with Tonsillitis and made prescription for Amoxicillin.
2 weeks later, when I felt like I should be Pain-free, I decided to see if my Reg Doc could see me.
He, too, was surprised with my tonsils (especially since I was already supposed to be Better with the Amox.) He said that her get me on something a bit atronger: Clindamycin.
After 2 weeks, I feel as though I SHOULD have been dancing. I was NOT.
I told them, via phone, that it feel as though I had something in my throat, that irritates and keeps me up at night. I could during the day and have some major cough attacks at night. They sent foe me to have an MRI on Dec 10th. Result on Monday: calcified nodule, which appears to be the same size as it was in a 2014 biopsy (yes. I've had this irritation for some time.), but it has since "calcified". They informed me that may be why it's bothering me now. They said that IF I want something more done or for someone took at it, to give them a call back. I waited a day to see IF I was just being a 'baby' OR if I really should get some Answers. Here's the run around: oncology won't see me because the Chart mentions "thyroid". And, Head and Neck doesn't seem to want to see me because it mentions "calcified nodules". BOTH are suggesting that I see the other. 😔
WtHeck?!? Can someone, HERE, tell me that I'm "just fine" or if they think I should be seen???
(FYI: The pic is what I took after 1 week of being on the Antibiotics.)
Thanks for ANY and ALL help.

Jump to this post

Hello @concernodules and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Your situation sounds both painful as well as frustrating! You seem to have really worked to get a diagnosis and some help without getting much help.

You mention having seen a regular doctor as well as a clinic doctor. Have you seen any specialists? Since you mention a thyroid problem, have you seen an endocrinologist? What about an ENT specialist?

If you have been seen by specialists, I might recommend that you go to a multi-disciplinary health center like a university medical school or a facility like Mayo Clinic. These types of health care centers have a better handle on difficult-to-diagnose problems because they are generally research-oriented, and they also see a lot of patients with a variety of problems, which smaller hospital systems and general doctors do not see.

Have you been to a center like this?

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Dec 23, 2021
In reply to @concernodules "I feel as though I've been given a Runaround, as my discouragement has lead for ME..." + (show)
@concernodules

I feel as though I've been given a Runaround, as my discouragement has lead for ME to reach out on my own.
The week before Thankgiving, my throat was so soar; i feel like i loat some of my Voice. Because time is precious, I went to a CHI Clinic.
She couldn't believe how my tonsils looked. Strep Test came up negative. She diagnosed me with Tonsillitis and made prescription for Amoxicillin.
2 weeks later, when I felt like I should be Pain-free, I decided to see if my Reg Doc could see me.
He, too, was surprised with my tonsils (especially since I was already supposed to be Better with the Amox.) He said that her get me on something a bit atronger: Clindamycin.
After 2 weeks, I feel as though I SHOULD have been dancing. I was NOT.
I told them, via phone, that it feel as though I had something in my throat, that irritates and keeps me up at night. I could during the day and have some major cough attacks at night. They sent foe me to have an MRI on Dec 10th. Result on Monday: calcified nodule, which appears to be the same size as it was in a 2014 biopsy (yes. I've had this irritation for some time.), but it has since "calcified". They informed me that may be why it's bothering me now. They said that IF I want something more done or for someone took at it, to give them a call back. I waited a day to see IF I was just being a 'baby' OR if I really should get some Answers. Here's the run around: oncology won't see me because the Chart mentions "thyroid". And, Head and Neck doesn't seem to want to see me because it mentions "calcified nodules". BOTH are suggesting that I see the other. 😔
WtHeck?!? Can someone, HERE, tell me that I'm "just fine" or if they think I should be seen???
(FYI: The pic is what I took after 1 week of being on the Antibiotics.)
Thanks for ANY and ALL help.

Jump to this post

@concernodules, I can understand your frustration at getting the runaround with the 2 departments telling you to seek a consult with another. Clearly you would like to be seen by a specialist like an ENT doc, endocrinologist or oncologist. Might you be able to write to the patient relations or patient experience office at CHI Clinic and ask them to mediate?

REPLY
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sepdvm | Dec 29, 2021

The huge benefit of going to a large referral type center such as Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic is the way that the specialties work together to solve the issues. Instead of trying to shift you to a different specialist, they combine their talents and perhaps you will see many specialists to get an answer. Your inflamed lymph node could be associated with a cancer that has not been identified. Keep advocating for yourself until you find the doctors or institution who will diagnose your problem. Mayo Clinic was it for me, after seeing local ENTs (3) and the University of Michigan Medical center. I have metastatic squamous cell carcinoma stemming from original tumor in my ear canal, but am alive today thanks to Mayo Clinic Rochester and my persistence in finding a diagnosis.

REPLY
1 reply
michael3319 | @michael3319 | Jan 1, 2022

Hi, this is my first time on this site but find that your neck lump is similar to what I had 5 yrs ago. I found a lump under my left ear lymph node as well as one in the lymph node gap between my left shoulder clavicle. I waited 1 month to see if the lymph node would decrease in size but it didn't. I then realized it was time for a medical exam/opinion. I went to a UW Madison, WI physician and was given 2 options wait and see if it goes away OR go with a needle biopsy. I figured to have it tested sooner than later would be in my best interest. Results were suspicious and removal, if necessary, would be determined when I was on the table. Bottomline, I was squamous cell HPV p16 Pos. The surgeon determined the cancer stayed within the nodes but still removed an additonal 31 lymph nodes. Further, they could not identify the primary site but believed it was under the lower base of my tongue. That being said, my point is do whatever you have to do get a confirmed diagnosis for the enlarged lumps. Second, go to a Mayo Clinic or UWMC Madison, WI where they have the expert doctors that ONLY deal with these type of issues. Please believe me when I say, time can be your best friend OR worst enemy. I hope you the very best and God Bless!

REPLY
1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 6, 2022
In reply to @michael3319 "Hi, this is my first time on this site but find that your neck lump is..." + (show)
@michael3319

Hi, this is my first time on this site but find that your neck lump is similar to what I had 5 yrs ago. I found a lump under my left ear lymph node as well as one in the lymph node gap between my left shoulder clavicle. I waited 1 month to see if the lymph node would decrease in size but it didn't. I then realized it was time for a medical exam/opinion. I went to a UW Madison, WI physician and was given 2 options wait and see if it goes away OR go with a needle biopsy. I figured to have it tested sooner than later would be in my best interest. Results were suspicious and removal, if necessary, would be determined when I was on the table. Bottomline, I was squamous cell HPV p16 Pos. The surgeon determined the cancer stayed within the nodes but still removed an additonal 31 lymph nodes. Further, they could not identify the primary site but believed it was under the lower base of my tongue. That being said, my point is do whatever you have to do get a confirmed diagnosis for the enlarged lumps. Second, go to a Mayo Clinic or UWMC Madison, WI where they have the expert doctors that ONLY deal with these type of issues. Please believe me when I say, time can be your best friend OR worst enemy. I hope you the very best and God Bless!

Jump to this post

Michael, thanks for taking the time to post your experience and why you chose to get a biopsy rather than wait. Did you have any treatment after surgery?

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2 replies
michael3319 | @michael3319 | Jan 6, 2022
In reply to @colleenyoung "Michael, thanks for taking the time to post your experience and why you chose to get..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Michael, thanks for taking the time to post your experience and why you chose to get a biopsy rather than wait. Did you have any treatment after surgery?

Jump to this post

I chose to get a biopsy because after doing my own extensive research and consulting with medical experts at the UWMC & Hospital, I felt it was the only way I would get a definitive answer. By having the lump matter examined by
the experts, I would know what to do either way.

Yes, my treatment consisted of a very high dosage of targeted radiation to my throat/under my tongue and any of the areas that my radiation doctor felt necessary. They couldn't definitively determine my primary site so it is considered to be from an unknown site. My radiation was 30 treatments and then examined every 6 months. My 5 yr exam will be on 26 March, 2022, fingers crossed.

REPLY
1 reply
mssewest | @mssewest | Jan 9, 2022
In reply to @michael3319 "I chose to get a biopsy because after doing my own extensive research and consulting with..." + (show)
@michael3319

I chose to get a biopsy because after doing my own extensive research and consulting with medical experts at the UWMC & Hospital, I felt it was the only way I would get a definitive answer. By having the lump matter examined by
the experts, I would know what to do either way.

Yes, my treatment consisted of a very high dosage of targeted radiation to my throat/under my tongue and any of the areas that my radiation doctor felt necessary. They couldn't definitively determine my primary site so it is considered to be from an unknown site. My radiation was 30 treatments and then examined every 6 months. My 5 yr exam will be on 26 March, 2022, fingers crossed.

Jump to this post

Please keep us posted on any updates. How are you feeling since radiation?

REPLY
michael3319 | @michael3319 | Jan 9, 2022

The first 6 months were the worst regarding pain and adapting to the feeding tube. Unable to eat because of the effects radiation had on my throat. I had the highest amount of radiation that my doctor would allow so apparently the effect was equally significant. I lost 65 lbs so I needed to increase my protein intake thru the tube. I have other side effects BUT as of today, I am cancer free in the area that had been detected for cancer. Thanks for asking:)

REPLY
1 reply
mssewest | @mssewest | Jan 19, 2022
In reply to @michael3319 "The first 6 months were the worst regarding pain and adapting to the feeding tube. Unable..." + (show)
@michael3319

The first 6 months were the worst regarding pain and adapting to the feeding tube. Unable to eat because of the effects radiation had on my throat. I had the highest amount of radiation that my doctor would allow so apparently the effect was equally significant. I lost 65 lbs so I needed to increase my protein intake thru the tube. I have other side effects BUT as of today, I am cancer free in the area that had been detected for cancer. Thanks for asking:)

Jump to this post

Thank you for sharing what you have gone through. Glad it worked out for you and a treatment plan worked. Stay strong and upbeat.

REPLY
lynkidd | @lynkidd | Jun 8, 2022
In reply to @rlp63 "I had a lymph node swell in my neck in Sept of 2019. I went to..." + (show)
@rlp63

I had a lymph node swell in my neck in Sept of 2019. I went to the doctor a week later for a regular wellness checkup. When I told him of it and he looked at it he decided to give me a strong round of antibiotics saying it could just be an infection. He instructed me to let him know if it did not fully go away and if it didn't he would order a CT scan. It did not go FULLY away so I told him and I had a CT scan. The results of the CT scan said it was worrisome of or something like that of squamous cell carcinoma. I knew if they actually named the cancer it resembled it was probably cancer. They ordered a biopsy and it was what they suspected. Turns out it started in my Tonsil and spread to my a lymph node in my neck. Luckily it swelled up quickly which gave us an early diagnosis as I was Stage 1 / 2 when diagnosed. It did however grow from 1cm to 5cm in length 3 months but was down to the size of my thumbnail in just 10 radiation treatments. I went on to have 25 more rounds of radiation which was the worst and maybe the best thing at the same time. I also had 3 rounds of Chemo which had its own side effects. I finished my treatment in Feb of 2020 and I am cancer free today. I hope yours is not cancer and they resolve it what ever it is. Good luck and Gods Speed.

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I am going through the same thing right now. Had a spot on tonsil for seven months. Dr said not concerned maybe tonsil stone. Now CT scan shows worrisome lymph node. Have to have neck dissection to remove. Did you have surgery.

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