A Rapidly Progressing Carotid Body Tumor: A Case Report

Abstract

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are a rare form of paragangliomas that often arise near the carotid bifurcation. They are typically slow growing and often asymptomatic. We report a case of a CBT in a 70-year-old man, who presented with a firm, painless, pulsatile neck mass that rapidly increased in size over the course of two months. The diagnosis was suspected based on the patient's clinical history and physical examination. The diagnosis was confirmed with CT angiography (CTA). The tumor was nonfunctioning based on normal urinary-free catecholamines, vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), and metanephrines levels. The patient then underwent a CT scan of his thorax, abdomen, and pelvis which did not detect any metastatic spread. The patient was referred to a tertiary vascular surgery center for definitive treatment. Our aim in presenting this case is to increase awareness of this rare type of paraganglioma with the hope of increasing early intervention and improving outcomes.

Keywords: carotid body tumor; coronary computed tomography angiogram (cta); general and vascular surgery; head and neck paraganglioma; pulsatile neck mass.

Figure 1. CTA of the neck demonstrating a left neck mass splaying the internal and external carotid arteries known as a Lyre sign

Figure 2. Coronal section of a neck CTA showing a left neck mass measuring 4.3 cm craniocaudal measurement

Figure 3. A transverse head and neck CTA showing a left neck mass measuring 3.3 x 2.8 cm in anterior-posterior and lateral measurements