Looking for some reassurance regarding lump on 2yo :(

[CandleRigg89]

My 25 month old has what feels like a small lump on the back of his right knee at the bottom right, almost at the top of his calf. It’s subtle, not visible to the eye and disappears when he bends his leg. I first noticed it in January and took him to our GP who referred him to paediatrics at the children’s hospital. 

We saw a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon who examined him and concluded that it was most likely a cyst, but was absolutely reassured that it was nothing to worry about. He referred him for an ultrasound to be safe, advised we’d be months for it because it was so low priority, and sent us on our way. 

I’ve been keeping an eye on it and in the last six months it hasn’t changed. He’s growing and doing everything else well, and unless you felt his leg at a certain angle you wouldn’t know it was there. We had the ultrasound today, 6 months later, and I was expecting a cyst to be confirmed but instead…they couldn’t see anything. Nothing. Normal looking tissue. 

I’m now not sure if I should be worried? Reassured? The sonographer said the consultant would be in touch with results, if anything changes to go back asap, but she couldn’t see anything other than normal tissue. I wasn’t expecting this at all. Does anyone have any insight on what it could be or next steps, if any, might be?

[Lostmum2407]

@CandleRigg89

My 25 month old has what feels like a small lump on the back of his right knee at the bottom right, almost at the top of his calf. It’s subtle, not visible to the eye and disappears when he bends his leg. I first noticed it in January and took him to our GP who referred him to paediatrics at the children’s hospital. 

We saw a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon who examined him and concluded that it was most likely a cyst, but was absolutely reassured that it was nothing to worry about. He referred him for an ultrasound to be safe, advised we’d be months for it because it was so low priority, and sent us on our way. 

I’ve been keeping an eye on it and in the last six months it hasn’t changed. He’s growing and doing everything else well, and unless you felt his leg at a certain angle you wouldn’t know it was there. We had the ultrasound today, 6 months later, and I was expecting a cyst to be confirmed but instead…they couldn’t see anything. Nothing. Normal looking tissue. 

I’m now not sure if I should be worried? Reassured? The sonographer said the consultant would be in touch with results, if anything changes to go back asap, but she couldn’t see anything other than normal tissue. I wasn’t expecting this at all. Does anyone have any insight on what it could be or next steps, if any, might be?

My dd has a lump on her neck. She had an ultrasound and got the same feedback you got: cyst and to go to gp if it gets bigger. It’s been the same size for over a year and you can visibly see it on her neck.

Sorry that’s not much help!

[CandleRigg89]

Thank you so much for your reply! Did your dd’s cyst show on the ultrasound? What’s throwing me is that nothing showed on the ultrasound. The sonographer could only see normal tissue but I can clearly feel the little lump!

I suppose something sinister would have showed up though, so I’m trying to take reassurance from that, and that it would have changed in 6 months if it was something to worry about. But I just thought they’d see a cyst and there would be a line under it, but now I’m not sure what it is again!

[Bluebellsbells]

This might not link whatsoever, but this year my daughter (7) had a lump on the inside of her left knee. We noticed it at swimming, it was very hard and about the size of a golf ball. I went through all her photos and noticed she had had it for at least two years. After scans it turns out it was a osteo condroma a lump of matter her body can't absorb and it calcifys hard. Was told it wasn't cancerous and would continue to grow until she was an adult then stabilise. We had it removed.

It was visible on an ultra sound and solid to touch.

[Lindy2]

My DD has a cyst below her knee.

It does show on an ultrasound. It shows as darker than the surrounding area. However, it does change size and at times disappears I think it might pop and regrow. When it's popped it might not show.

Perhaps an xray or mmr will be suggested. I'd return to your GP.

[CandleRigg89]

@Lindy2

My DD has a cyst below her knee.

It does show on an ultrasound. It shows as darker than the surrounding area. However, it does change size and at times disappears I think it might pop and regrow. When it's popped it might not show.

Perhaps an xray or mmr will be suggested. I'd return to your GP.

thanks for your reply!

I think cyst has been effectively ruled out as it didn’t show, but from what I’ve read ultrasound can generally always detect unusual masses in those areas, except from lipomas, so I could be a small lipoma or also maybe just asymmetry in his leg that’s just, normal?

we’ll have a follow up with the orthopaedic surgeon who I suspect will advise monitoring as it hasn’t changed in 6 months and isn’t impacting him and is therefore unlikely to need urgent investigations. MRI’s etc do come with risks so I think they’ll be quite risk averse.

It’s weird to not know after a scan!

[CandleRigg89]

Thank you @Bluebellsbells ! That’s great you got some answers! I think what threw me off was the fact that nothing was on the ultrasound, despite me clearly feeling it! She was thorough in the whole area and could find nothing abnormal at all.

the fact that most things that are sinister or even just not supposed to be there show up on scans is definitely giving me some reassurance, but I wish I just had an answer yesterday!