Fibrous Hamartoma of Infancy Presenting as a Posterior Cervical Neck Mass in a 5-year-old Child: An Unusual Case Highlighting the Role of Imaging

ABSTRACT: Fibrous hamartoma of infancy (FHI) is a rare benign soft-tissue tumor in the pediatric population, involving the upper extremities, axilla, trunk, chest wall, and inguinal region. Involvement of the head-and-neck region is rare, and very few cases have been reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of a 5-year-old girl with slowly progressive, painless, firm to hard swelling in the back of the neck. On imaging, a lobulated, heterogeneously enhancing lesion was noted in the right paravertebral and posterior cervical region with foci of calcification, fat and enhancing septations, without invasion of surrounding structures. The patient underwent resection of the lesion, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of FHI. This case highlights the importance of imaging in the preoperative evaluation of FHI, particularly in assessing local invasion, intraspinal extension, and identifying its characteristic imaging features that aid in the diagnosis and guide appropriate surgical management.