Head and Neck Clinical Signs Associated With Diseases: A Scoping Review.
Spec Care Dentist 2026; 46(3):e70185.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Clinical signs observed during head and neck examination offer important diagnostic clues. This scoping review aimed to identify key clinical signs in this region associated with diseases and syndromes and to map them according to their location.

METHODS

An electronic literature search was performed in five databases (Embase, LILACS, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) and in grey literature (Google Scholar and ProQuest). Studies were excluded if they did not involve humans, addressed non-specific or non-head and neck signs, used auxiliary equipment during examination, were conducted outside clinical settings, lacked original data, or had no accessible full text. Clinical signs were categorized as ocular, cutaneous, intraoral, auricular, or other.

RESULTS

Overall, 54 studies met the criteria, identifying 43 distinct clinical signs. Intraoral signs were the most frequent (n = 15), with "strawberry tongue" being the most common. Cutaneous signs (10) included café-au-lait lesions, facial trichilemmomas, and Pemberton's sign. Ocular manifestations appeared in nine cases, with Horner's syndrome being the most reported. Other signs accounted for six reports, and auricular signs (three) were the least frequent, with Frank's sign most cited.

CONCLUSION

This review underscores the diagnostic relevance of head and neck clinical signs as indicators of systemic diseases, including intraoral ulcers, café-au-lait macules, Kayser-Fleischer rings, Frank's sign, malar rash, and port-wine stains.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Cotter HM0000-0001-7613-3465Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Oral Diagnosis Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Dutra MJ0000-0002-8338-3857Oral Diagnosis Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Rabelo GD0000-0001-9511-5078Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Ribeiro ACP0000-0002-0127-7998Oral Diagnosis Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. São Paulo State Cancer Institute, São Paulo University Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
Lopes MAOral Diagnosis Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Diniz-Freitas M0000-0001-5349-1091Medical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Kowalski LP0000-0002-0481-156XAC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Hospital Das Clínicas, University of São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Santos-Silva AR0000-0003-2040-6617Oral Diagnosis Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Pedroso CM0000-0002-7504-7597Oral Diagnosis Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Scoping Review
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

42135938