title: Growth Rate Analysis of an Untreated Glomus Vagale on MRI.
abstract: Paragangliomas are slow growing, hypervascular neuroendocrine tumors that develop in the extra-adrenal paraganglion tissues. Paraganglioma involving the vagus nerve ganglia is termed glomus vagale. The slow growth of head and neck paragangliomas especially in the absence of symptom may obviate the necessity for any active intervention, in which case, a "wait and scan" policy is implemented involving long-term clinical and radiologic follow-ups. We present a case of a 71-year-old female with an untreated left glomus vagale who underwent a conservative "wait and rescan" plan of management and the tumor was observed with 8 serial MRI scans over a period of 7.4 years. A growth rate analysis was conducted which demonstrated a slow growth. A literature review of radiologic studies examining the natural history of head and neck paragangliomas was also performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeffrey Tzu-Yu
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
authors.forename: Allen Yu-Yu
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
authors.forename: Lavier
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
authors.forename: Melville
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Da Cruz