CT diagnosis of carotid body tumor(22 cases report)

Objective:To study CT findings in diagnosis of carotid body tumor.Methods: The CT fingdings of carotid body tumor in 22 cases were analyzed retrospectively.Results: There were 28 masses in the 22 patients,of which 6 were bilaterally involved.All the masses located at carotid sheath region at the level of the hyoid bone.The enhanced CT findings of 23 masses were as follows:firstly,the masses were highly enhanced with well-defined margins;secondly,masses were found located at the carotid bifurcation with the widened distance between ECA(external carotid artery)and ICA(internal carotid artery);thirdly,the thin-slice imaging of arterial phase with spiral CT showed that there were multiple applying artery on the mass edges;lastly,images reconstructed by VR and MPR of cervical ateray demonstrated that the carotid bifurcation were cuppingly widened with the masses locating on it.The coincidence rate of CT enhanced scanning in this paper was 100%.Conclusion:The enhanced CT findings of carotid body tumor has characteristics,and were quite useful in differentiating diagnosis.Cervical vessels can be clearly demonstrated by spiral CTA.