Original Article

Pontocerebellar Angle Tumors: Ear MRI Findings

10.5505/1304.8503.2012.79188

  • Abdullah Yüksel Barut
  • Atılay Büker
  • Engin Acıoğlu
  • Esra Paşaoğlu
  • Göksel Tuzcu
  • Önder Turna

İstanbul Med J 2012;13(2):65-73

OBJECTIVE:

Vestibular schwannoma (VS), meningiomas and epidermoid cycts (EC) account for a vast majority of the lesions occurring in the pontocerebellar angle (PCA). Neoplastic and non-neoplastic pathologies other than these tumors constitute 1% of alllesions located in the PCA. We aimed to present magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of PCA tumours identified in our clinic, retrospectively.

METHODS:

36 patients (21 female-15male) admitted Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Radiology Clinic between July 2009-April 2011, with diagnosis of tinnitus, hearing loss assessed by ear MRI, were included in the study. The patients were retrospectively evaluated using picture archiving and communication system (PACS).

RESULTS:

36 patients with mean age 57,2 (30-80) suspected PCA tumors were operated and according to the results of surgery VS in 20 patients (%57), 8 patients (%23) menengioma, 5 patients (%14) EC, 2 patients (%5,6) arachnoid cyst, 1 patients (%2,8) paraganglioma of the PCA was found. MRI examinations were reviewed with special attention to the size, signal intensities, pattern of contrast enhancement and relations of the tumor to the adjacent tissues.

CONCLUSION:

MRI is capable of providing excellent images of the CPA and contents of internal auditory canal rather than all other diagnostic modalities. Maintaining a high index of suspicion and careful analysis of MRI images can help in the differential diagnosis and guide in planning the most appropriate treatment protocol for CPA tumors.

Keywords: vestibular schwannoma, internal auditory canal, MRI, pontocerebellar angle