Related Experiment Videos
Calcified acoustic neurinoma.
The Journal of Laryngology and Otology
|July 1, 1984
Summary
Dense calcifications in cerebellopontine angle tumors do not rule out acoustic neurinomas. This case highlights surgical challenges and questions the routine use of vertebral angiography for diagnosing these rare tumors.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Acoustic neurinomas are benign tumors arising from the vestibulocochlear nerve.
- Diagnosis typically involves imaging of the internal acoustic meatus and cerebellopontine angle.
Observation:
- A patient presented with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and a calcified cerebellopontine angle tumor on CT.
- Initial imaging suggested a diagnosis other than neurinoma due to extensive calcification.
Findings:
- Surgical exploration revealed a grossly calcified tumor consistent with an acoustic neurinoma upon microscopy.
- The tumor required a two-stage translabyrinthine surgical approach for removal.
Implications:
- Extensive calcification in cerebellopontine angle tumors does not exclude the diagnosis of acoustic neurinoma.
- Vertebral angiography may not be routinely indicated in such cases, but calcification predicts surgical difficulty.