Actual methods of carotid body tumor diagnosis

Abstract

The aim — to improve the carotid body tumors (CBT) diagnosis.Materials and methods. The article presents with the analysis of the structure and the results of the diagnosis and surgical treatment of 65 patients who were hospitalized in the department of vascular surgery Lviv Regional Clinical Hospital for the period 1995 to 2016. There were 36 cases of carotid body tumor and 29 cases other tumors of the neck, which were directed from other medical institutions with a diagnosis of «carotid body tumor». The examination of patients included physical examination, ultrasonography, computer tomography, MRI. Final diagnosis verification was confirmed with pathological and histological clinical report.Results and discussion. At the initial examination of patients the symptom «plus» tissue was identified palpatory on the neck: left or right side in the projection of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery in 36 patients. In 5 (14 % of the CBT) patients synchronous lesions were found on both sides of the neck in the projection of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. On palpation the carotid body tumor was of stiffly — elastic consistency, painless, not soldered to surrounding tissues and slightly shifted transverse axis of the neck, pulsing in sync with carotid artery. All patients underwent carotid ultrasonographic examination with the calculated diagnostic sensitivity of ultrasound to detect tumors, that was 93 %, specificity — 92 %, accuracy — 92 %/In the study patients’ ultrasonography was complemented with contrast computer tomography in 14 (22 %) cases and MRI in 2 (3 %). Biopsy of the tumor and sentinel node was performed in 2 (3 %) patients with CBT and 5 (8 %) patients with tumors of different origin. However, biopsy was not informative because received histological material was without specific changes and prevented from identification of tumor genesis pre surgery stage.Conclusions. Ultrasound is a highly informative and specific method for diagnosis of carotid body tumor. USG can be used for differential diagnosis of the neck carotid body tumor from other tumors on pre surgey stage.