NON-CHROMAFFIN PARAGANGLIOMAS - BRIEF REVIEW AND CLINICAL-RADIOLOGICAL FOLLOW-UP ON NINE CASES

Non-chromaffin paragangliomas, their source of origin, histology, symptoms and signs are briefly reviewed. Nine cases are submitted, all women aged 41-79 years. Eight patients were requested to appear for a follow-up examination immediately before the analysis. Five cases were confirmed histologically, and in four the diagnosis was based upon the clinical findings. In three cases the tumour presumably arose in paraganglia in the tympanic cavity, in five cases from the glomus jugulare, and in one case from the carotid glomus. Three patients were not treated. In one case the diagnosis was not made until just before the present analysis. Two of the untreated patients were seen 2 and 10 years after the diagnosis had been made and showed no signs of progression. One patient was treated surgically; X-rays one year after the operation gave rise to a suspicion of an expanding tumour. Five patients received high-voltage irradiation. Two showed partial remission after a follow-up period of 5 years and three showed no signs of progression after follow-up periods of 18 months, 3 years, and 6 years. This speaks in favour of irradiation. The radiological changes of non-chromaffin paragangliomas are briefly reviewed. The tomographic findings in eight of the patients are described. Four of the five irradiated patients had tomography before and after the treatment, and the appearances are unchanged after follow-up periods of 1 and 5 years. © 1969 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.