Chemodectomas of the carotid bifurcation

Angiography of chemodectomas of the neck

In 18 chemodectomas of the neck (6 carotid body tumours, 1 vagal body tumour and 11 tympanojugular tumours) the arterial supply and circulatory characteristics were evaluated at angiography. The arterial supply of the carotid body tumours was derived from all adjacent vessels including direct carotid body branches of the proximal external carotid artery. The arterial supply in tympanojugular tumours constantly came from both the ascending pharyngeal and retroauricular arteries and often also from the anterior tympanic artery. Other branches contributed less constantly and only to a minor degree, except for the vertebral artery in cases with tumour extension intracranially. The circulatory characteristics were constant in the series: a short arterial phase was rapidly followed by a phase of relatively long duration with marked, somewhat granular accumulation of contrast medium and also by an early filling of draining veins. The planning of the angiographic procedure in cases of chemodectoma is discussed.

Bolus infusion CT enhancement as an aid in chemodectoma diagnosis-case report

The boundaries of a carotid body chemodectoma are sharply defined by use of cranial computed tomography (CT) following the bolus infusion of intravenous iodinated contrast medium. The technique seems valuable in the preoperative staging of tumors in this locale. Enhancement strategies for CT imaging are discussed.

The CT scan and subtraction angiography in chemodectomas

The value of subtraction angiography and CT scanning in the diagnosis of chemodectomas are illustrated by two cases, a glomus jugulare tumour which exhibited true malignant behaviour, and a carotid body tumour. The characteristic early arterial blush of a chemodectoma, which can be obscured by bone, is clearly seen following subtraction techniques revealing tumours as small as 0.5 cm. The chemodectoma appeared as an isodense tumour on the CT scan with uniform contrast enhancement and well-defined margins. The appearances, however, are not diagnostic of a chemodectoma and may be simulated by other tumours.