[CT diagnosis of glomus-jugulare tumours]

Glomus-jugulare tumours (chemodectomas, non-chromaffin paragangliomas) are semi-malignant tumours arising from the glomus structures of the jugular bulb. They are soft tissue tumours which usually expand the jugular foramen and destroy its bony margins. Conventional methods of examination are therefore very effective. However, they only demonstrate the bone destruction and are therefore an indirect method for showing the tumour. The actual size and extent of the tumour, which are important for the surgeon or radiotherapist, cannot be demonstrated by simple x-rays. Computer tomography is very effective in the diagnosis of soft tissue lesions in the skull. CT is therefore of great importance in the diagnosis of glomus-jugulare tumours.