Actinomycosis is an unusual, chronic granulomatous infection caused by Actinomycetes spp. The organism also causes mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease in endemic regions. We present a very uncommon case of extensive actinomycosis of the soft tissues in the neck with perivertebral extension that showed the dot-in-circle sign on magnetic resonance imaging. A 29-year-old male patient presented with progressively enlarging hard posterior neck swelling of 4 years duration. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging showed the dot-in-circle sign in an avidly enhancing infiltrative lesion with extensive involvement of the neck and perivertebral soft tissue. The pathologic examination was in line with actinomycosis. The patient responded to high doses of combination parenteral and oral antibiotics.
Keywords: Actinomycosis; Cervical actinomycosis; Dot-in-circle sign; Magnetic resonance imaging.
© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.