title: Role of ultrasound and color Doppler imaging in the detection of carotid paragangliomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotid body paragangliomas (PGLs) are highly vascularized lesions that arise from the paraganglia located at the carotid bifurcation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the usefulness of gray-scale ultrasound (US) and color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) in the detection and follow-up of carotid PGLs of the neck.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrospectively reviewed US and CDUS examinations of the neck performed in 40 patients with PGL syndrome type 1 and single or bilateral neck PGLs confirmed by CT or MRI; the patients had a total of 60 PGLs of the neck. US and CDUS outcome was compared to the outcome of second-line imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). The following findings were considered: presence/absence of focal lesions at US imaging and difference in maximum diameter of the lesion measured at US and MRI/CT. Results were compared using the Student's t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 60 PGLs of the neck only 5 (8.3%) were not visualized at US or CDUS examination. The difference in maximum diameter of these lesions measured at CT/MRI and US/CDUS ranged between -5 mm and +16 mm (mean difference 2.2 ± 6.0). This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  US and CDUS are useful methods for identifying carotid PGLs also measuring less than 10 mm in diameter. However, diagnostic accuracy of US and CDUS is reduced in the measurement of the exact dimensions of the lesions.
authors: Section of Endocrinology, Department of General Medicine II, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Demattè
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Di Sarra
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Schiavi
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Casadei
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Opocher
keywords: Carotid body paraganglioma; Carotid-body tumor; Color Doppler ultrasound; Ultrasound