Parapharyngeal meningioma extending from the intracranial space evaluated by FDG PET

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Oncology
• Radiology

Background:

• Parapharyngeal meningiomas are rare tumors originating from ectopic meningothelial cells.
• Meningiomas typically arise within the intracranial or spinal compartments.
• Extracranial extension, particularly to the parapharyngeal space, presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

Observation:

• A rare case of parapharyngeal meningioma with intracranial extension is described.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]-2-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) was utilized for evaluation.
• The tumor exhibited a high rate of glucose metabolism on FDG-PET imaging.

Findings:

• Despite high FDG uptake, indicative of aggressive metabolic activity, the parapharyngeal meningioma was pathohistologically confirmed as benign.
• The tumor demonstrated rapid growth over a relatively short period.
• High glucose metabolism on PET correlated with tumor aggressiveness and growth rate.

Implications:

• FDG-PET can be a valuable tool in assessing the aggressiveness of parapharyngeal meningiomas, even in benign cases.
• Understanding the metabolic profile of meningiomas aids in predicting tumor behavior and guiding clinical management.
• This case highlights the importance of comprehensive evaluation for rare presentations of meningiomas.