[Chemodectoma secreting carotid glomus: characteristics and contribution of magnetic resonance imaging. Apropos of 2 cases].

Two cases of carotid glomus chemodectomas with production of catecholamines are reported. The place of chemodectomas among the neuroendocrine tumors called paragangliomas is recalled. Chemodectomas only very infrequently produce catecholamines (1 to 10%). Magnetic resonance imaging is superior to computerized tomography and metaiodobeuzylguanidine scintigraphy in the detection and the characterization of adrenal and extra-adrenal functioning paragangliomas of the orthosympathic system. Few data are available for the imaging of functioning parasympathetic paragangliomas (chemodectomas). The two case reports illustrate the contribution of the magnetic resonance imaging in the detection and the characterization of chemodectomas.