Carotid Body Tumors: Objective Criteria to Predict the Shamblin Group on MR Imaging

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:MR imaging is an established method for diagnosis and surgical planning of carotid body tumors (CBTs). However no studies have elaborated preoperative objective criteria to predict the Shamblin (surgical) classification of CBTs, an important predictor of vascular morbidity. The purpose of this study was to establish criteria to accurately predict the Shamblin group on preoperative MR imaging for a uniform reporting system.

Retrospective Analysis of Surgical Treatment of Carotid Body Tumour– An Institutional Experience.

“…3,4 .In our series, cranial nerve deficits occurred in three patients, involving the VII, X and XII pairs which is concordant with other series. Power et al demonstrated that preoperative embolization may have some benefits for the surgical approach, especially relating to surgical bleeding, but the patients that they followed up did not present any differences in definitive neurological sequelae.…”

“…Power et al demonstrated that preoperative embolization may have some benefits for the surgical approach, especially relating to surgical bleeding, but the patients that they followed up did not present any differences in definitive neurological sequelae. 3,12 Although our series did not have any cases of malignant chemodectoma, it is important to mention that the malignant potential has been reported to be around 2-6 % in the literature, most frequently with metastasis to regional lymph nodes. 15 .…”

“…The MRA seems to be preferable nowadays. 13 In the literature, the best treatment is considered to be surgical, with dissection of the tumor in the sub-adventitial avascular plane of the artery. Large tumors (Shamblin II and III) may require vascular procedures, including repairs, sutures and resections of the arterial segments.…”

“…2 In this context, based on the Shamblin classification, Arya et al used magnetic resonance imaging to pre-classify carotid body tumors before surgical treatment. 3 This could improve preoperative management and reduce the complication rate. 4 Surgery is the gold standard for curative treatment of CBTs.…”

Imaging Characteristics of Schwannoma of the Cervical Sympathetic Chain: A Review of 12 Cases

“…18 As the carotid body tumor arises from the wall of the common carotid artery, it tends to completely fill the crotch of the bifurcation 2 and encase the ICA and ECA. 19 In our experience, schwannomas do not fill the crotch of the carotid bifurcation because we could identify the angle of the bifurcation in all 4 patients with SCSC splaying the carotid arteries. We found the SCSC merely separating the ICA and ECA as well as the arteries stretched about the tumor; yet the contact between them did not exceed 180°of the vessel circumference.…”