Skull Base Tumor Mimics

Many different benign and malignant processes affect the central skull base and petrous apices. Clinical evaluation and tissue sampling are difficult because of its deep location, leaving imaging assessment the primary means for lesion evaluation. Skull base lesions demonstrate a variety of confusing appearances on imaging, creating diagnostic dilemmas. It is important to be familiar with imaging appearances of common mimickers of malignant neoplasm in the skull base. This article familiarizes readers with imaging characteristics of various anatomic variants and benign pathologies that mimic malignant neoplasms, in hopes of increasing confidence of diagnosis, decreasing unnecessary procedures, and allaying patient fear.