Purpose: In this study, we describe the color Doppler imaging findings in carotid body tumors and vagal body tumors.
Methods: B-mode and color Doppler imaging were performed on 17 patients who had a total of 25 previously diagnosed paragangliomas (14 carotid body tumors and 11 vagal body tumors).
Results: Nineteen of 25 tumors were depicted. Five small vagal body tumors in the region of the nodose ganglion and 1 carotid body tumor could not be depicted. With B-mode imaging, paragangliomas appeared as well-defined, solid, hypoechoic masses. With color Doppler imaging, hypervascularity with a low-resistance flow pattern was demonstrated in all but 1 of the 19 tumors.
Conclusions: The use of color Doppler imaging in the workup of an ambiguous neck mass is advocated.