Paragangliomas of the Head and Neck: A Practical Approach to Diagnosis and Review of Detailed Anatomy of Sites of Origin

Paragangliomas are slow-growing hypervascular neuroendocrine tumors that arise from neural crest paraganglia cells distributed throughout the body. The purpose of this article is to review the clinical presentation and imaging characteristics of paragangliomas of the head and neck, based on their sites of origin, and to discuss the differential diagnosis of lesions that can mimic them. This article also reviews detailed anatomy of the jugular fossa, temporal bone, and the carotid space, where most head and neck paragangliomas are found. This article is intended for neuroradiologists and neuroradiology trainees with varying degrees of experience as well as a broader audience of physician radiologists and nonradiologists who use imaging of the head and neck in their daily practice.

Learning Objective: To recognize the clinical presentation and imaging characteristics of paragangliomas of the head and neck, based on their sites of origin, and to differentiate these tumors from lesions that can mimic them.