American Journal of Neuroradiology, Vol 19, Issue 10 1841-1843, Copyright © 1998 by American Society of Neuroradiology
ARTICLES |
Internal carotid artery narrowing in children with retropharyngeal lymphadenitis and abscess
PA Hudgins, JH Dorey and IN Jacobs
Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our purpose was to describe the association between narrowing of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and retropharyngeal abscess in children. METHODS: Neck CT scans from 13 consecutive children with suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis and abscess were evaluated retrospectively for asymmetric ICA diameters at the level of the abscess. Clinical status at the time of illness was established via a chart review. Twenty control CT scans obtained from pediatric patients with normal imaging findings were evaluated prospectively to determine symmetry and size of the ICA. RESULTS: Mean diameter of the normal ICA, contralateral to the retropharyngeal abscess, was 5 mm (range, 3-8 mm), while mean diameter ipsilateral to the abscess was 3 mm (range, 1-5 mm). The diameters of the normal and abnormal ICAs were statistically significantly different. All children were neurologically normal. The right and left ICAs in children with normal CT findings in the neck were symmetrical in diameter. CONCLUSION: Despite dramatic narrowing of the ICA ipsilateral to retropharyngeal lymphadenitis and abscess, no children in this series had neurologic deficits, suggesting that such narrowing is a common, benign, and, most likely, incidental imaging finding.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  P. A. Hudgins Reply AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., January 1, 2000; 21(1): 233 - 233. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Ide and J.-P. Trigaux Internal Carotid Artery Narrowing in Children with Retropharyngeal Lymphadenitis and Abscess AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., January 1, 2000; 21(1): 233 - 234. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|