Carotidynia

Carotidynia also called “Transient Perivascular Inflammation of the Carotid artery” (TIPIC) syndrome is a rare entity characterized by painful periadventitial inflammation around the carotid bifurcation. Although commonly idiopathic, rarely it is linked to headache and stress and very rarely to malignancies, either directly by tumor invasion or indirectly related to treatment. We present a case of carotidynia in a lymphoma patient undergoing chemotherapy who responded well following treatment with steroids and stoppage of the triggering chemotherapy and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor. FDG avidity of the pericarotid inflammation can mimic active lymphadenopathy, but carotidynia should be suspected if there is associated neck pain.