title: Perivascular carotid inflammation: an unusual case of carotidynia.
abstract: A 59-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with a fever and rigors for 2 days. She was on chemotherapy (docetaxel, carboplatin, and trastuzumab) for her stage II invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Her physical exam was unremarkable except for the fever. The white blood cells were 21,200/mm(3) with 92% of neutrophils. ESR was 106 mm/h. An extensive infectious workup was negative. On day 6, while still febrile, the patient complained of a left-sided neck pain. She exhibited tenderness over the left carotid artery. A CT scan of the neck without intravenous contrast showed perivascular inflammation of the left common carotid artery, without evidence of a collection, arterial thrombosis, aneurysm, or dissection. The etiology of this finding was possibly chemotherapy related. It dramatically responded to oral prednisone. A repeat CT scan of the neck with IV contrast 2 weeks later showed a remarkable improvement. Drug reactions can simulate systemic inflammatory diseases and should always be considered in the diagnosing process.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, USA. Lazar@chpnet.org
authors.forename: Lama
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Azar
authors.forename: Harry D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology