Temporal bone chondroblastoma totally invisible on MRI

Auris Nasus Larynx. 2016 Aug;43(4):468-71. doi: 10.1016/j.anl.2015.12.005. Epub 2015 Dec 29.

Abstract

We report a case of temporal bone chondroblastoma that was totally invisible on MRI. The patient was a 64-year-old man who presented with several months history of vertigo. The CT scan with bone window setting showed destruction of the temporomandibular joint, the floor of the middle cranial fossa, and the superior semicircular canal. Calcific foci were seen within the tumor. On MR imaging, the tumor, situating mainly medial to the temporomandibular joint, showed no signal on both T1- and T2-weighted images. The tumor was not enhanced with gadolinium. In summary, the tumor was totally signal negative or "invisible" on pre- and postcontrast T1- and T2-weighted images. The tumor was resected through transpetrosal - transzygomatic approach.

Keywords: Gadolinium; Temporomandibular joint; Transpetrosal approach; Transzygomatic approach.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Chondroblastoma / complications
  • Chondroblastoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Chondroblastoma / pathology
  • Chondroblastoma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Skull Neoplasms / complications
  • Skull Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Skull Neoplasms / pathology
  • Skull Neoplasms / surgery
  • Temporal Bone / diagnostic imaging*
  • Temporal Bone / pathology
  • Temporal Bone / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vertigo / etiology