Radionuclide angiography as the primary investigation in chemodectoma: concise communication.

A technique is described for investigating tumors of the carotid body and glomus jugulare. The examination comprises an easily performed radionuclide angiogram, and has been used to investigate 30 patients. This technique demonstrated seven carotid-body tumours, including two unsuspected clinically, and one tumor of the glomus jugulare. There was also one patient with a false-positive test for bilateral carotid-body tumors. Angiographic and/or surgical confirmation was obtained in all cases but one. A significant incidence of complication during contrast angiography was noted (two cases of transient hemiparesis). The radionuclide angiogram proved safer than contrast angiography and more reliable than clinical examination; it therefore appears to be the method of choice as the primary screening test in patients with suspected carotid-body and glomus-jugulare tumors.