How is paraganglioma diagnosis?
How is paraganglioma diagnosed? Lab Tests: If you have symptoms of paraganglioma, your doctor will order lab tests of your urine and blood to check your hormone levels. Imaging: Your doctor will use imaging scans such as MRI, CT, and PET to look at where the tumor is and how big it is.
What is the difference between a paraganglioma and a schwannoma?
Accordingly, paragangliomas are highly vascular on angiography [5]. In contrast, schwannomas are typically described as avascular or hypovascular on angiography, without central flow voids on MRI [2], [4], [5].
Why can the tumor be moved side to side horizontally and not up and down vertically )?
It is usually located anterior to the sternocleidomastoid near the angle of the mandible at the level of the hyoid bone. Characteristically, the tumor can be moved side to side but not up or down, due to its location within the carotid sheath 1.
Where is paraganglioma located?
Paragangliomas are usually found in the head, neck, or torso. However, a type of paraganglioma known as pheochromocytoma develops in the adrenal glands . Adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney and produce hormones in response to stress. Most people with paraganglioma develop only one tumor in their lifetime.
What are symptoms of paraganglioma?
Paraganglioma cells commonly secrete hormones known as catecholamines, including adrenaline, which is the fight-or-flight hormone. This can cause episodes of high blood pressure, a rapid heartbeat, sweating, headache and tremors.
Can you feel a paraganglioma?
A paraganglioma is a rare but treatable neuroendocrine tumor that usually forms along major blood vessels and nerve pathways in your neck and head. In most cases, the tumor is benign, but it can be malignant (cancer). Symptoms include high blood pressure and headaches, though you could experience no symptoms.
How fast do carotid body tumors grow?
They are slow-growing tumors that can remain asymptomatic for many years. The doubling time (TD) of carotid body tumors (CBTs), as estimated by Jansen et al using sequential imaging, was 7.13 years with a median growth rate of 0.83 mm/year.
How is paraganglioma treated?
Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the standard therapy for treating metastatic paraganglioma. It’s a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells by killing the cells or by preventing them from dividing and multiplying. Chemotherapy is usually given through a vein (intravenously).
What is paraganglioma of the head and neck?
Paragangliomas of the head and neck originate most commonly from the paraganglia within the carotid body, vagal nerve, middle ear, and jugular foramen. Also called glomus tumors, they arise from paraganglion cells of neuroectodermal origin frequently located near nerves and vessels.
What is the classic MRI classic appearance of paragangliomas?
MRI classic appearance of paragangliomas is “salt and pepper”. “Salt” due to hemorrhage (rare) and “pepper” due to flow voids. Paragangliomas are hypervascular masses therefore avidly enhancing. Carotid body mass splays the ICA posteriolaterally and the ECA anteromedially at the carotid bifurcation.
What is the prevalence of paraganglioma?
Paragangliomas account for 0.6% of all neoplasms in the head and neck region, and about 80% of all paraganglioms are either carotid body tumors or glomus jugulare tumors. The classic manifestation of a carotid body tumor is a nontender, enlarging lateral neck mass which is mobile, pulsatile, and associated with a bruit.
What are the physical findings characteristic of vagal paraganglioma?
On physical examination, the vagal paraganglioma usually presents as an asymptomatic lateral neck mass located behind the angle of the mandible. Symptoms of vagal nerve dysfunction such as dysphagia, hoarseness, or vocal cord paralysis appear late in the course of the disease.