title: Carotid body size on CTA: correlation with comorbidities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that computed tomographic angiography (CTA) can identify carotid body enlargement in patients with sympathetically mediated diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review of all patients obtaining CTAs of the cervical vasculature at University of Utah Health Sciences Center over a 6-month period was performed. Widest axial measurements of both carotid bodies were performed on a picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Statistical analysis was then performed to compare the mean carotid body size between control patients and patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Measurements were performed on 288 patients, with 134 controls. Of the remaining 154, 72 patients had diabetes mellitus, 46 had congestive heart failure, and 130 had hypertension. The control patients had a mean carotid body diameter of 2.3 mm. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.01) 20-25% increase in mean diameter with diabetes mellitus (2.8 mm), hypertension (2.7 mm), and congestive heart failure (2.7 mm; p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found a 20-25% larger mean carotid body size in patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and congestive heart failure relative to controls. However, this small enlargement should not mimic other carotid body diseases, such as a paraganglionoma. Moreover, these findings further support the proposed functional relationship between the carotid body and sympathetically mediated disease states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wiggins
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Medical Center North, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fudim
authors.affiliation: Cibiem, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Z J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Engelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cardiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sobotka
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Electronic address: lubdha.shah@hsc.utah.edu.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007479:Iopamidol