Hemangiopericytoma of the masticator space

Hemangiopericytomas are rare tumors of the head and neck. The benign presentation of this tumor belies its high local recurrence rate, local aggressiveness, and malignant potential. In view of these characteristics, workup to provide a diagnosis preoperatively is of significant importance. Diagnostic imaging is helpful in planning operative management, detecting metastases, and narrowing the list of differential diagnoses. However, because of the variety and lack of specificity of radiologic findings, it is generally difficult to provide a diagnosis. A history of a painless, slowly growing, otherwise asymptomatic mass, together with the radiologic findings of a vascular neoplasm, should enhance the suspicion of an HPC as a diagnosis. Hemangiopericytoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of any vascular soft tissue lesion presenting in the head and neck, and plans for surgical intervention should include the possibility of aggressive, wide local resection in order to adequately treat such a lesion should it be encountered.