title: Isolated Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy Mimicking a Base of Tongue Tumor.
abstract: Isolated paralysis of hypoglossal nerve is uncommon, generally being associated with other neuropathies. A careful differential diagnosis is necessary to recognize the underlying diseases, some of which can be life-threatening. The authors report a patient of an 80-year-old woman presenting with an isolated hypoglossal palsy, mimicking a tongue neoplasm. Through a careful clinical workup and thanks to the aid of the imaging, it was possible to identify the presence of signal alterations due to a subacute denervation of the affected hemitongue and to exclude the presence of a tumor. The patient was clinically diagnosed as isolated hypoglossal palsy, resulting from a thrombo-embolic accident involving the nerve along its course. The authors propose some useful means for the differential diagnosis and review the literature.
authors.affiliation: *ENT Department †Department of Radiology ‡Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela Francesca
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Nestola
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brucoli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pia
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aluffi
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020437:Hypoglossal Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D014059:Tongue / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis