Clinical Findings Associated with a Carotid Body Tumor (CBT, Cervical Paraganglioma)

The most common finding is a mass in the lateral neck and is

(1) usually unilateral

(2) usually painless

(3) sometimes pulsating

(4) shows a positive Fontaine sign (movable horizontally but not vertically)

Less often the mass may be associated with:

(1) headache

(2) hoarseness

(3) carotid bruit

(4) cranial nerve deficits

(5) Horner's syndrome

(6) facial nerve deficit

Only a small percentage secrete catecholamines. These may be associated with:

(1) tachycardia

(2) hypertension

(3) diaphoresis