title: Superior Cervical Sympathetic Ganglion: Normal Imaging Appearance on 3T-MRI.
abstract: To identify superior cervical sympathetic ganglion (SCSG) and describe their characteristic MR appearance using 3T-MRI.
  
  
  
  In this prospective study, we recruited 53 consecutive patients without history of head and neck irradiation. Using anatomic location based on literature review, both sides of the neck were evaluated to identify SCSGs in consensus. SCSGs were divided into definite (medial to internal carotid artery [ICA] and lateral to longus capitis muscle [LCM]) and probable SCSGs based on relative location to ICA and LCM. Two readers evaluated signal characteristics including intraganglionic hypointensity of all SCSGs and relative location of probable SCSGs. Interrater and intrarater agreements were quantified using unweighted kappa.
  
  
  
  Ninety-one neck sites in 53 patients were evaluated after exclusion of 15 neck sites with pathology. Definite SCSGs were identified at 66 (73%) sites, and probable SCSGs were found in 25 (27%). Probable SCSGs were located anterior to LCM in 16 (18%), lateral to ICA in 6 (7%), and posterior to ICA in 3 (3%). Intraganglionic hypointensity was identified in 82 (90%) on contrast-enhanced fat-suppressed T1-weighted images. There was no statistical difference in the relative location between definite and probable SCSGs of the right and left sides with intragnalionic hypointensity on difference pulse sequences. Interrater and intrarater agreements on the location and intraganglionic hypointensity were excellent (κ-value, 0.749-1.000).
  
  
  
  3T-MRI identified definite SCSGs at 73% of neck sites and varied location of the remaining SCSGs. Intraganglionic hypointensity was a characteristic feature of SCSGs.
authors: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Joo Yeon
authors: JY
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Jeong Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Joon Seon
authors: JS
authors: Song
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Min Jeong
authors: MJ
authors: Song
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Seung-Jun
authors: SJ
authors: Hwang
authors: Department of Radiology, Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon 22711, Korea.
authors: Ra Gyoung
authors: RG
authors: Yoon
authors: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Seung Won
authors: SW
authors: Jang
authors: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Ji Eun
authors: JE
authors: Park
authors: Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 47392, Korea.
authors: Young Jin
authors: YJ
authors: Heo
authors: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Young Jun
authors: YJ
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
authors: Jung Hwan
authors: JH
authors: Baek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000294:innervation*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Anatomy; Cervical; Ganglia; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neck; Sympathetic; Variation