[Carotid aneurysm as a differential diagnosis of a cervical tumor]

This article presents the case of a patient with a submandibular cervical tumor initially suspected to be a large lymph node or glomus tumor. However, the diagnostic workup prior to taking a biopsy sample revealed an extracranial aneurysm of the internal carotid artery. In order to prevent a permanent neurologic deficit arising from thromboembolism, the aneurysm was excluded by resection and arterial continuity was restored. Extracranial aneurysms of the internal carotid artery are rare, but serious differential diagnoses of cervical nodes. It is of paramount importance that this differential diagnosis be considered before initiating invasive diagnostics of these tumors.