Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-fqc5m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T06:42:00.048Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Extracranial glomus faciale tumour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2007

S E J Connor*
Affiliation:
Neuroradiology Department, Kings College Hospital, London, UK
M J Gleeson
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK
E Odell
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Pathology, GKT Dental Institute, Guy's Tower, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr S E J Connor, Neuroradiology Department, Ruskin Wing, Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, UK Fax: 44 207 346 3120 E-mail: sejconnor@tiscali.co.uk

Abstract

Objectives:

To describe a unique presentation of a predominantly extracranial glomus faciale tumour. To discuss the role of imaging in the differential diagnosis and evaluation of a hypervascular parotid mass. To review the previous literature concerning the glomus faciale tumour.

Case report:

A 54-year-old woman presented with a six-month history of facial weakness, pain and a parotid mass. Ultrasound revealed a hypervascular parotid mass and pre-operative core biopsy suggested a paraganglioma. Computed tomography defined its deep extent and demonstrated involvement of the petrous temporal bone along the descending portion of the facial nerve canal with a pattern of permeative lucency. A tumour was surgically removed which arose from the facial nerve from the second genu to the proximal divisions within the parotid gland and histology confirmed a paraganglioma.

Conclusions:

A facial nerve glomus faciale tumour should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a hypervascular parotid mass and may present in a predominantly extracranial location. Computed tomography will prove helpful in such a case in order to limit the differential diagnosis and to define the extent of skull base involvement.

Type
Clinical Record
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Makek, M, Franklin, DJ, Zhao, JC, Fisch, U. Neural infiltration of glomus temporale tumors. Am J Otol 1990;11:15Google ScholarPubMed
2 Mafee, MF, Raofi, B, Kumar, A, Muscato, C. Glomus faciale, glomus jugulare, glomus tympanicum, glomus vagale, carotid body tumors, and stimulating lesions: role of MR imaging. Radiol Clin North Am 2000;38:1059–76CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3 Bartels, LJ, Pennington, J, Kamerer, DB, Browarsky, I. Primary fallopian canal glomus tumors. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1990;102:101–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 Dutcher, PO, Brackman, DE. Glomus tumor of the facial canal: A case report. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1986;112:986–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5 Kania, RE, Bouccara, D, Colombani, J-M, Molas, G, Sterkers, O. Primary facial canal paraganglioma. Am J Otolaryngol 1999;20:318–22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Petrus, LV, Lo, WWM. Primary paraganglioma of the facial nerve canal. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 1996;17:171–4Google ScholarPubMed
7 Wippold, FJ, Neely, JG, Haughey, BH. Primary paraganglioma of the facial nerve canal. Otol Neurotol 2004;25:7980CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8 Guild, SR. The glomus jugulare, a nonchromaffin paraganglion, in man. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1953;62:1045–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Aygenc, E, Selcuk, A, Ozdem, C. Hypervascular parapharyngeal schwannoma: an unusual case. Auris Nasus Larynx 2002;29:215–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 Brandrick, JT, Das Gupta, AR, Singh, R. Jugulotympanicum paraganglioma (glomus jugulare tumour) presenting as a parotid neoplasm. J Laryngol Otol 1988;102:741–4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11 Nielson, TO, Sejean, G, Onerheim, RM. Paraganglioma of the tongue. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2000;124:877–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar