Cerebral vasculitis and multi-focal neurological deficits due to allopurinol-induced hypersensitivity syndrome

CT findings in a patient with bilateral metachronous carotidynia

Carotidynia is a self-limiting, idiopathic clinical syndrome characterized by acute unilateral neck pain and tenderness of the carotid artery. We describe a unique case of bilateral carotidynia that occurred metachronously, with each incident resolving without long-term sequelae. Knowledge of this entity is important to properly interpret the imaging findings and to not mistake this finding as an ill-defined tumor, thus avoiding unnecessary biopsy.