R A Baz1, C Scheau2, N Sârbu3, D O Costea4, A Dijmărescu5, P Bordei6. 1. Department of Radiology, "Sf. Apostol Andrei" County Hospital, Constanta, Romania. 2. Department of Physiology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Eroii Sanitari Blvd., 5th district, 050474 Bucharest, Romania. cristian.scheau@umfcd.ro. 3. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy "Dunărea de Jos", Galati, Romania. 4. Department of Surgery, "Sf. Apostol Andrei" County Hospital, Constanta, Romania. 5. Department of Radiology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania. 6. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Constanta, Romania.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Presentation of case reviews depicting the imaging characteristics of carotid paragangliomas, associated with a thorough analysis of the anatomical morphological features and the current therapeutic strategies. METHODS: We present the cases of three patients diagnosed with carotid paragangliomas in our clinic, illustrating diagnostic imaging elements by computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but also the postoperative aspect of the carotid system, with respective anatomical, clinical and surgical considerations. RESULTS: The imaging aspect of the carotid paragangliomas is characterized by a mass of soft tissue with intense contrast enhancement and with "salt and pepper" MRI appearance on conventional spin-echo sequences. The postoperative evolution of the patients included in the article was favorable, without any perioperative complications or signs of local tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Carotid paragangliomas are rare, often asymptomatic tumors, but with potential for increased malignancy, which raises the need for good knowledge of the cervical region pathology as well as the features of neuroendocrine tumors. CT and MRI examinations are essential for diagnosis, staging and, implicitly, for establishing the therapeutic strategy.
BACKGROUND: Presentation of case reviews depicting the imaging characteristics of carotid paragangliomas, associated with a thorough analysis of the anatomical morphological features and the current therapeutic strategies. METHODS: We present the cases of three patients diagnosed with carotid paragangliomas in our clinic, illustrating diagnostic imaging elements by computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but also the postoperative aspect of the carotid system, with respective anatomical, clinical and surgical considerations. RESULTS: The imaging aspect of the carotid paragangliomas is characterized by a mass of soft tissue with intense contrast enhancement and with "salt and pepper" MRI appearance on conventional spin-echo sequences. The postoperative evolution of the patients included in the article was favorable, without any perioperative complications or signs of local tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS:Carotid paragangliomas are rare, often asymptomatic tumors, but with potential for increased malignancy, which raises the need for good knowledge of the cervical region pathology as well as the features of neuroendocrine tumors. CT and MRI examinations are essential for diagnosis, staging and, implicitly, for establishing the therapeutic strategy.