Tumours of the mastoid temporal bone: with interesting cases in the paediatric age group

Tumours of the mastoid temporal bone are interesting clinical entities owing to their rarity. A wide variety of benign and malignant tumours occur in and around the temporal bone reflecting the complicated embryological origin and resultant diversity of tumours found in the area. Friedmann (1974), in a classification of tumours of the ear, has grouped some tumours as intermediate in variety, e.g. glomus jugulare tumour, in addition to various benign and malignant tumours. Metastatic deposits from various distant organs such as the lung, breast and kidney can occur in the mastoid bone (Schucknecht, 1968). Invasive tumours can spread to the mastoid bone from adjacent areas such as neoplasms of the parotid and cranium.