Keywords: neck, lymphnodes

Abstract: The authors report a case of a child with a 7 years history of a unilateral hard cervical rode of approximately 4 cm diameter protruding through the left submandibular area. Extensive otolaryngological clinical, laboratory and radiologic exams were unconclusive. The patient was submitted to a surgical removal of the node. The pathology report revealed great difficulty to differentiate a chronic reactional inflamatory process from Hodgkin's lymphoma. Due to the abscence of Reed-Sternberg cells, the diagnosis of a non neoplastic process war given. The authors emphasize the need of close follow-up of this patient for a few years.