title: Solitary paraganglioma of the hypoglossal nerve: A case report with magnetic resonance imaging findings.
abstract: METHODS
  Female, 58 FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Solitary paraganglioma of the hypoglossal nerve Symptoms: Neck pain Medication: - Clinical Procedure: Surgical resection Specialty: Otolaryngology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Rare disease.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors originating in the neural crest. Only a few cases of hypoglossal paraganglioma have been reported in the published literature. The localization of hypoglossal paragangliomas close to the carotid artery precludes determination of tumor origin preoperatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 58-year-old female patient was admitted due to neck pain. During physical examination, a significant mass could not be palpated in the upper left part of the neck, despite sensitivity during palpation. Atrophy and left deviation of the left half of the tongue was observed. MRI of the neck revealed a lesion located superior to the carotid bifurcation between the left internal carotid artery and external carotid artery. There was atrophy in the left half of the tongue. The neck mass displaced the left internal carotid artery anteriorly and medially. The operation was performed with left lateral cervical access. This lesion, which derived from the hypoglossal nerve, was excised. Following histopathological evaluation, the lesion was diagnosed as paraganglioma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypoglossal paraganglioma is quite rare and there are no established criteria for preoperative diagnosis. Hypoglossal paraganglioma must be considered to determine treatment options if a lateral neck mass and ipsilateral tongue atrophy are present at the level of the 12th cranial nerve tract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyazal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alpaslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozkan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cankaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
keywords: hemiatrophy of tongue; hypoglossal nerve; magnetic resonance imaging; solitary paraganglioma