Jugular phlebectasia presenting as globus pharyngeus

Even though much has been written on the aetiology of globus pharyngeus, it still remains elusive and multifactorial. We present a case of a 54-year-old woman who was referred by an orthopedist to the radiology department with a 6-day history of an intense feeling of “pressure” and “tightness” in the jugular notch. After performing a contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan, a phlebectasia of the right anterior jugular vein was discovered. When trying to determine the cause of the globus sensation one has to consider the possible existence of a phlebectasia of one of the jugular veins. (Folia Morphol 2013; 72, 3: 278–280)