Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck

Sean Woolen; Joseph J Gemmete

doi:10.1016/j.nic.2015.12.005

Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck

Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2016 May;26(2):259-78. doi: 10.1016/j.nic.2015.12.005. Epub 2016 Mar 5.

Authors

Sean Woolen¹, Joseph J Gemmete²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
² Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Electronic address: gemmete@med.umich.edu.

PMID: 27154608
DOI: 10.1016/j.nic.2015.12.005

Abstract

Paragangliomas of the head and neck are rare vascular skull-base tumors derived from the paraganglionic system with an estimated incidence of 1:30,000 accounting for 3% of all paragangliomas. The most common paraganglioma locations of the head and neck in descending order are the carotid body, jugular, tympanic, and vagal paragangliomas. This article discusses the clinical characterics, normal anatamy, imaging findings and protocols, pathology, staging, and differential diagnosis for paragangliomas of the head and neck.

Keywords: Computed tomography; DOPA-PET; FDG-PET; I-123 Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG); In 111-DTPA-d-Phe1-octreotide; MR imaging; Paraganglioma; Pheochromocytoma.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aortic Bodies / diagnostic imaging
Carotid Arteries / diagnostic imaging
Ear, Middle / diagnostic imaging
Head and Neck Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
Humans
Jugular Veins / diagnostic imaging
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Paraganglioma / diagnostic imaging*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed