Extracranial glomus faciale tumour.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a unique presentation of a predominantly extracranial glomus faciale tumour. To discuss the role of imaging in the differential diagnosis and evaluation of a hypervascular parotid mass. To review the previous literature concerning the glomus faciale tumour.


METHODS
A 54-year-old woman presented with a six-month history of facial weakness, pain and a parotid mass. Ultrasound revealed a hypervascular parotid mass and pre-operative core biopsy suggested a paraganglioma. Computed tomography defined its deep extent and demonstrated involvement of the petrous temporal bone along the descending portion of the facial nerve canal with a pattern of permeative lucency. A tumour was surgically removed which arose from the facial nerve from the second genu to the proximal divisions within the parotid gland and histology confirmed a paraganglioma.


CONCLUSIONS
A facial nerve glomus faciale tumour should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a hypervascular parotid mass and may present in a predominantly extracranial location. Computed tomography will prove helpful in such a case in order to limit the differential diagnosis and to define the extent of skull base involvement.
Connor
S E J
SE
Neuroradiology Department, Ruskin Wing, Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, UK. sejconnor@tiscali.co.uk
Gleeson
M J
MJ
Odell
E
E
D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005154:Facial Nerve; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005918:Glomus Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D013701:Temporal Bone; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome