OBJECTIVE: This article illustrates the anatomic distribution of the healthy paraganglion system and the imaging and pathologic features of various extraadrenal paragangliomas occurring in the head and neck, chest, and abdomen. CONCLUSION: Although paragangliomas can occur in a variety of anatomic locations, the majority are seen in relatively predictable regions of the body. Extraadrenal paragangliomas have nearly identical imaging features, including a homogeneous or heterogeneous hyperenhancing soft-tissue mass at CT, multiple areas of signal void interspersed with hyperintense foci (salt-and-pepper appearance) within tumor mass at MRI, and an intense tumor blush with enlarged feeding arteries at angiography.
OBJECTIVE: This article illustrates the anatomic distribution of the healthy paraganglion system and the imaging and pathologic features of various extraadrenal paragangliomas occurring in the head and neck, chest, and abdomen. CONCLUSION: Although paragangliomas can occur in a variety of anatomic locations, the majority are seen in relatively predictable regions of the body. Extraadrenal paragangliomas have nearly identical imaging features, including a homogeneous or heterogeneous hyperenhancing soft-tissue mass at CT, multiple areas of signal void interspersed with hyperintense foci (salt-and-pepper appearance) within tumor mass at MRI, and an intense tumor blush with enlarged feeding arteries at angiography.