Paraganglioma of the larynx diagnosed with maneuvered three-phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

The standard diagnostic tool for laryngeal paraganglioma is generally accepted to be magnetic resonance imaging. However, the role of other imaging modalities has not been evaluated extensively. We describe the case of a 38-year-old man who had a history of voice distortion for several years. A hypervascular submucosal lesion was detected on maneuvered three-phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). The CT showed intense contrast enhancement in the first arterial phase (inspiration), a peak level in the second phase (Valsalva), and washing out in the final phase (phonation). This pattern of contrast enhancement suggested the presence of a hypervascular lesion, such as a hemangioma, paraganglioma, or vascular malformation of the larynx. We conclude that maneuvered three-phase contrast-enhanced CT may be useful for the diagnosis of paraganglioma of the larynx.