Korean J Pathol.  2010 Oct;44(5):543-546.

Jugulotympanic Paraganglioma, Mimicking a Vascular Tumor: A Brief Case Report

• Sung JY
• Cha CI
• Park YK

Abstract

Jugulotympanic paragangliomas (JTPs) known as glomus tumors, are neoplasms of variable invasiveness that arise from the paraganglia situated around the jugular bulb or middle ear. We now report a rare case of JTP in an 18-year-old male. Preoperative diagnoses through external auditory canal biopsy and radiologic examination both failed. Even using a frozen section, an informative finding was not obtained because mostly granulation tissue was present along with associated squeezing artifacts. On permanent histologic examination, small cell nests between many ectatic small vessels and fibrotic stroma were seen, and those cells were positive for CD56, synaptophysin and chromogranin. Because JTPs are rare and have rather different histologic findings - higher vascularity, smaller and less uniform tumor cells than other paragangliomas - they are easy to misdiagnose. However, remembering those differences may help the physician avoid missing JTPs.

Keyword

Paraganglioma, extra-adrenal; Glomus tympanicum; Glomus jugulare

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Artifacts
Biopsy
Ear Canal
Ear, Middle
Frozen Sections
Glomus Jugulare
Glomus Tumor
Glomus Tympanicum
Granulation Tissue
Humans
Male
Paraganglioma
Paraganglioma, Extra-Adrenal
Synaptophysin
Synaptophysin