Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Normal and metastatic melanin in the temporal bone

C M Navarrete1, C B Ruah, P Schachern

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, USA.

American Journal of Otolaryngology
|January 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Normal melanin in the inner ear can be mistaken for metastatic melanoma. This study maps melanin distribution and melanoma spread to the temporal bone, aiding diagnosis.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The surgical challenge of carotid artery and Fallopian canal dehiscence in chronic ear disease: a pitfall for endoscopic approach.

Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery·2016
Same author

[Histopathologically observational study of cartilage-mucosa on the eustachian tube isthmus of temporal bone with otitis media].

Lin chuang er bi yan hou ke za zhi = Journal of clinical otorhinolaryngology·2003
Same author

Pattern changes of mucin gene expression with pneumococcal otitis media.

International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology·2001
Same author

Stapes mobilization in otosclerosis.

Ear, nose, & throat journal·2001
Same author

Characterization of mucins in human middle ear and Eustachian tube.

American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology·2001
Same author

[Silence nature of otitis media].

Lin chuang er bi yan hou ke za zhi = Journal of clinical otorhinolaryngology·2001

Area of Science:

  • Otolaryngology
  • Pathology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Malignant melanoma frequently metastasizes to the temporal bone.
  • Distinguishing metastatic melanoma from normal melanocytes in the inner ear is challenging.
  • Understanding normal melanin distribution is crucial for accurate diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To delineate the distribution of normal melanin within the human temporal bone.
  • To characterize the patterns of metastatic melanoma spread to the temporal bone.
  • To differentiate normal melanocytes from metastatic melanotic cells in temporal bone pathology.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 48 temporal bones from diverse ethnic groups (White, Native-American, African-American) for normal melanin distribution.
  • Examination of seven temporal bones from four patients with metastatic melanoma to the temporal bone.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Histopathological evaluation of 20-micron thick sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin.

    • Main Results:

    • Normal melanin is present in the inner ear, particularly near neural structures and blood vessels, with higher concentrations in African-Americans.
    • Metastatic melanoma invades the temporal bone via hematological dissemination and neural invasion from the CNS.
    • No correlation was observed between histopathological findings and patient clinical symptoms.

    Conclusions:

    • Metastatic melanoma can mimic normal melanin distribution in the temporal bone.
    • Melanoma cells infiltrate the petrous bone marrow and travel along nerves and blood vessels within the internal auditory canal and labyrinth.
    • Temporal bone metastasis from melanoma is often asymptomatic or presents with vague symptoms, potentially delaying diagnosis.