Diagnostic efficiency of multidetector computed tomography versus magnetic resonance imaging in differentiation of head and neck paragangliomas from other mimicking vascular lesions: comparison with histopathologic examination

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) versus MRI in detection and characterization of paragangliomas and differentiating them from other vascular mimicking conditions in the neck and skull base in comparison with histo-pathological results as a gold standard. A prospective study included 30 patients with vascular neck lesions. They were susceptible for MDCT and MRI for characterization of the nature of the lesions. Histo-pathological evaluation was performed in all lesions for confirmation. As a result of this study included 30 patients: 22 males and 8 females. Paragangliomas were the commonest detectable lesions; 12/30 patient had glomus tumor (1 glomus tympanicum, 2 glomus vegale, 4 glomus jugulo-tempanicum, and 5 glomus jugular), 6 carotid body tumor, 2 hemangiopericytoma, 3 vegal Schwanoma, 4 lymphadenopathy, 2 juvenile angiofibroma, and one neurofibroma. The sensitivity of MDCT was higher than MRI in differentiation of paragangliomas from other mimicking lesions, where MDCT sensitivity was 83.33 % and the NPV was 80 % while that of MRI was 77.7 % and the NPV 75 %, but both techniques have moderate agreement between them in differentiating paragangliomas from other mimicking vascular lesion. MDCT with its new utilities has near degree of accuracy in detection and localization of paragangliomas as the same that of MRI. Both techniques have moderate agreement between them in differentiating paragangliomas from other mimicking vascular lesions. So, it is better to use both of them as complementary techniques for accurate diagnosis and grading of paraganglioma.