A Case Report of Bilateral Non-Familial Carotid Body Tumor

Caratid body tumors are relatively rare paragangliomas that develop from neural crest cells at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. Carotid body tumors are seen frequently in a sporadic form, although approximately 10% of the patients have a familial history of this disease. In the sporadic form bilateral carotid body tumors are seen very rarely and it should be considered in patients who were presented with bilateral neck mass. Ultrasonography and Computed Tomography are the essential imaging modalities for diagnosing these lesions. Excision is currently considered the treatment of choice. In this case, a 56 year-old man who presented with one year history of bilateral palpable neck masses and diagnosed non-familial bilateral carotid body tumor is discussed with recent literature.