Carotid Body Tumour-MRI & MRA

"The carotid body is derived from both mesodermal elements of the third branchial arch and neural elements originating from the neural crest ectoderm. It is a small ovoid or irregular mass bilaterally situated on the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, and functions as a chemoreceptor sensitive to changes in arterial pO2, pCO2 and pH, which induces reflex changes in vasomotor activity and respiration. Carotid body tumour (paraganglioma) is both unusual and highly vascular, arising from the paraganglion cells of the carotid body.The presence of a lyre-like image (an enhancing high vascular oval mass widening the angle of the bifurcation with displacement of the internal and external carotid arteries) is essentially pathognomonic of a carotid body tumour . The blood supply is primarily from the bifurcation and external carotid artery, but contribution from the internal carotid artery, vertebral artery, and thyrocervical trunk can occur. Knowledge of the sources of blood supply aids in exposure and hemostasis."

Further reading and reference-
World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2005, 3:10
doi:10.1186/1477-7819-3-10

Case by-Dr.Sumer K Sethi, MD

Consultant Radiologist ,VIMHANS and CEO-Teleradiology Providers

Editor-in-chief, The Internet Journal of Radiology

Director, DAMS (Delhi Academy of Medical Sciences)

And

Dr Jaya Shankar , MD

Consultant Radiologist ,VIMHANS