glomus jugulare

• most common tumor in jugular fossa with intracranial extension
• origin: adventitia of jugular bulb
• location: dome of jugular bulb
• symptoms: tinnitus, hearing loss

• findings:
  • destruction of posterioinferior petrous pyramid + corticojugular spine
  • soft tissue mass in jugular bulb region, hypotympanicum, middle ear
  • destruction of ossicles (usually incus), otic capsule, posteromedial surface of petrous bone
  • MRI: "salt and pepper" appearance (multiple tumor vessels)
  • angio: hypervascular mass; invasion/obstruction of the jugular bulb by thrombus/tumor; AV shunting

• malignant transformation with mets to regional nodes (2-4%)

see: paraganglioma (glomus tumor)

© 2002, C.E. Kahn, Jr.
2002-04-18