PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - S. Arya
AU  - V. Rao
AU  - S. Juvekar
AU  - A.K. Dcruz
TI  - Carotid Body Tumors: Objective Criteria to Predict the Shamblin Group on MR Imaging
AID  - 10.3174/ajnr.A1092
DP  - 2008 Aug 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 1349--1354
VI  - 29
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/29/7/1349.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/29/7/1349.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2008 Aug 01; 29
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: MR imaging is an established method for diagnosis and surgical planning of carotid body tumors (CBTs). However no studies have elaborated preoperative objective criteria to predict the Shamblin (surgical) classification of CBTs, an important predictor of vascular morbidity. The purpose of this study was to establish criteria to accurately predict the Shamblin group on preoperative MR imaging for a uniform reporting system.MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of 9 CBTs in 8 consecutive patients who underwent surgery between 2004 and 2007 were reviewed at a tertiary cancer hospital. The surgical records were blinded to the radiologists. A radiologic classification into 3 types (I, II, and III) based on the maximum degree of circumferential contact of the tumor with the internal carotid artery (ICA) was attempted and correlated with the Shamblin group in surgical records.RESULTS: There were 5 type III, 3 type II, and 1 type I tumors. The type I tumor had an ICA maximum circumference of contact less than or equal to 180°, type II tumors had more than 180° and less than 270°, and type III tumors had a maximum circumference of contact of 270° of more. MR imaging accurately predicted the Shamblin group in 8 (100%) of 8 operated tumors. Tumor size and Shamblin group did not have a uniformly predictable relation.CONCLUSIONS: Shamblin group can be predicted preoperatively on MR imaging, and the maximum degree of circumferential contact of the CBT with the ICA on axial images is the criterion to predict the Shamblin group.