Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in a case of malignant glomus jugulare tumour are reported. Chemodectomas are benign in 95 per cent of cases and malignant in five per cent. Only one case report of CT findings in this unusual CP angle tumour with pulmonary metastases has been cited in the literature. It is concluded that MRI can provide useful information about the nature of chemodectomas although it cannot distinguish between benign and malignant tumours, except when regional lymph nodes are involved or when distant metastases exist.