"The main feature to help identify a sympathetic chain tumour is the location and mass effect on adjacent vessels. SCSCs will arise from the superior or middle ganglia of the cervical sympathetic chain (from C1-6), in the upper/mid perivertebral space. These tumours will displace the carotid space structures (ICA, ECA, IJV and vagus nerve) anterolaterally, usually without splaying of the carotid vessels nor separation of the arteries and vein 3. Also, the vagus nerve can be followed distinctly from the tumour."
"T1: isointense or hypointense"
"T1 C+ (Gd): intense enhancement (especially on delayed sequences)"
"T2: heterogeneously hyperintense (due to varying degree of cellularity), no significant flow voids"
"There are only case reports or limited small series of sympathetic chain schwannomas. A 12-case review reported a median age of 41 years 3, similar to other reports 4,5 and schwannomas in general."
"The main feature to help identify a sympathetic chain tumour is the location and mass effect on adjacent vessels. SCSCs will arise from the superior or middle ganglia of the cervical sympathetic chain (from C1-6), in the upper/mid perivertebral space. These tumours will displace the carotid space structures (ICA, ECA, IJV and vagus nerve) anterolaterally, usually without splaying of the carotid vessels nor separation of the arteries and vein 3. Also, the vagus nerve can be followed distinctly from the tumour."