CT and ultrasonographic findings in jugular vein ectasia.

Jugular vein aneurysm can mimic more serious abnormalities and produce cosmetic difficulties for patients. The existence of marked asymmetry in the sizes of normal jugular veins is known from anatomic studies. 1 We present two cases in which asymmetric enlargement of the jugular vein was misinterpreted as disease in other structures. In each case, the correct diagnosis was made using ultrasound, and in one case, examination using duplex Doppler imaging documented that a pulsatile mass was venous in nature. Based on these cases, we attempted to evaluate the frequency of asymmetry in jugular vein diameters. This information should make sonographers aware of this normal variation in size between right and left jugular veins, and help them to avoid the pitfalls associated with ascribing this asymmetry to a pathologic condition.