Introduction and objective:

Discovering a hard supraclavicular mass is a worrisome finding because it usually implies an underlying malignancy. The objective of this work is to illustrate the clinical presentation and characteristics of a cervical rib, because as unusual as this entity may be, suspecting of it offers an immediate diagnosis, avoids unnecessary explorations and presents a benign diagnosis to the patient.

Method:

A systematic review about the differential diagnosis of hard supraclavicular masses is carried out by two independent revisers using five different academic search engines.

Results:

From the 96 articles found in the initial search, 14 that matched the inclusion criteria were chosen. The approach of these selected articles was the differential diagnosis of a cervical rib in patients with a hard supraclavicular mass.

Discussion:

Soliciting complimentary tests delays a diagnosis that can be easily made through a simple thorax radiography, saving the patient from the distress of tortuous pathway.

Conclusions:

The differential diagnosis of a hard supraclavicular mass should include the possibility of a cervical rib.

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