[Cerebellopontine angle tumors in adults]

Cerebellopontine angle tumors in adults are mainly benign and extra-axial. Magnetic resonance imaging is the first method for their diagnosis, CT being more useful for bony structures evaluation. Vestibular schwannoma is the most common lesion, it presents as a rounded mass centered along the axis of the internal acoustic meatus, the largest portion being in the cerebellopontine angle. The tumor enhances after Gadolinium administration. Meningioma is the second most common tumor; this slow growing mass has a wide attachment to the adjacent dural mater and is dramatically enhanced by contrast. Epidermoid cyst the third mass, is an extra-axial lesion with the signal is similar to the one of cerebrospinal fluid. Other lesions such as lipoma, papilloma, glioma or metastasis account for less than 1% of the cerebellopontine angle cistern tumors in adults.