Petrous apex lesions (differential)

Last revised by Arlene Campos on 11 Jan 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Weerakkody Y, Campos A, Knipe H, et al. Petrous apex lesions (differential). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 18 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-10711

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-10711

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/10711?iframe=true

rID:

10711

Article created:

11 Sep 2010, Yuranga Weerakkody ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Yuranga Weerakkody had no recorded disclosures.

View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosures

Last revised:

11 Jan 2024, Arlene Campos ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Arlene Campos had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Arlene Campos's current disclosures

Revisions:

21 times, by 18 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Central Nervous System, Head & Neck

Sections:

Gamuts

Synonyms:

Lesions of the petrous apex
Petrous apex lesions
Differential diagnosis of petrous apex lesions

There is a wide differential diagnosis of petrous apex lesions:

pseudolesions
- asymmetrical marrow/asymmetrical pneumatization
  - non-expansile
  - fat signal intensity on all sequences
- petrous apex effusion ⁷
petrous apex cephalocele ⁴
- CSF signal intensity on all sequences
petrous apicitis
congenital cholesteatoma
- restricted diffusion
cholesterol granuloma
- most common cystic appearing lesion ³
- hyperintense signal on T1 and T2, without fat saturation
mucocele of petrous apex ²
- CT opacification of petrous apex air cells with expansion of cortical margins
- hyperintense T2 signal and variable T1 signal
- possible peripheral enhancement without central enhancement
benign tumors
- meningioma
- schwannoma
- paraganglioma
  - permeation of bone
  - salt-and-pepper appearance on MRI
malignant tumors
- skull base chondrosarcoma
  - most common solid lesion ³
- skull base chordoma
  - tends to be more midline but can involve the petrous apex
- plasmacytoma
- metastatic lesion
Langerhans cell histiocytosis
aneurysm of terminal internal carotid artery
petrous apex effusion ⁷

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Petrous apex lesions (differential)

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

See also

References

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