Jugulotympanic paraganglioma

Case contributed by Bruno Di Muzio
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Previous history of melanoma, erosive petrous bone lesion found on CT brain (not shown).

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Male

Brain

mri
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Axial
FLAIR
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DWI
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ADC
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Coronal
T1
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T2
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T1
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T2
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T1 C+
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Axial T1
C+ fat sat
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Coronal
T1 C+
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Coronal T1
C+ fat sat
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Axial T1
C+ fat sat
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Coronal
T1 C+
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Info

At the left petrous apex region, expanding the jugular foramen and extending into the left middle ear cavity, there is a vividly enhancing solid mass with elevated T2 signal and scattered flow-voids. The lesion has a subcentimetre protrusion abutting the cerebellum in the cerebellopontine angle. Partial obliteration of the mastoid air cells on the left. 

Preserved left ICA flow-voids. Dural venous sinuses are patent, with normal opacification of the left sigmoid sinus and favourable torcular anatomy with good communication between both transverse sinuses. 

PET-CT (Gallium-68 DOTATATE)

Nuclear medicine
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Left petrous bone lesion is intensively octreotate avid, which is best explained by a jugulotympanic paraganglioma given the MRI appearances. 

Case Discussion

Although the imaging features on MRI were quite suggestive of a paraganglioma, given the history of melanoma, functional imaging with a Gallium-68 DOTATATE PET CT was performed. 

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