Application of Doppler and DSA in diagnosis and differential diagnosis between carotid body tumor and neurilemmoma

PURPOSE: To summarize the clinical imaging features of color Doppler flow imaging(CDFI), digital substraction angiography(DSA) in diagnosis and differential diagnosis between carotid body tumor (CBT) and neurilemmoma. METHODS: The clinical data of 8 patients with CBT and 14 patients with neurilemmoma treated in our hospital from 1990 to 2004 were retrospectively compared with CDFI and DSA. RESULTS: The imaging features of CBT were masses located at the bifurcation of the carotid artery, with abundant blood supply in the tumor, the internal and external carotid arteries shifted, the bifurcation of the carotid artery increased like goldcup in DSA. The imaging features of the neurilemmoma were masses located behind the bifurcation of the carotid artery, and the carotid bifurcation was normal, no blood supply in the tumor, but carotid arteries shifted. CONCLUSIONS: CBT and neurilemmoma have their own imaging characteristics in CDFI and DSA. Both CDFI and DSA have important values in diagnosis and differential diagnosis between CBT and neurilemmoma.