Cholesterol granuloma presenting as a mass obstructing the external ear canal

Cholesterol granuloma (CG) may involve the middle ear, the mastoid bone and the petrous apex. However, CG presenting as a mass obstructing the external ear canal (EEC) is relatively rare and it can be a diagnostic challenge. We report a case of a CG occupying the mastoid antrum and presenting as a m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBMC ear, nose and throat disorders Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 4
Main Authors Nikolaidis, Vasilios, Malliari, Hariklia, Psifidis, Dimosthenis, Metaxas, Spyridon
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England BioMed Central Ltd 05.04.2010
BioMed Central
Subjects
Care and treatment
Case report
Cholesterol
CT imaging
Diagnosis
Granuloma
Health aspects
Magnetic resonance imaging
Methods
Middle ear
Properties
United States
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Summary:Cholesterol granuloma (CG) may involve the middle ear, the mastoid bone and the petrous apex. However, CG presenting as a mass obstructing the external ear canal (EEC) is relatively rare and it can be a diagnostic challenge. We report a case of a CG occupying the mastoid antrum and presenting as a mass into the EEC. Temporal bone computerized tomography showed a soft tissue mass which eroded the posterior-superior bony wall of the EEC. On magnetic resonance imaging, the mass revealed a high signal on both T1 and T2-weighted images. The CG was removed by a mastoidectomy procedure and the histopathologic report confirmed the diagnosis of CG. A type III tympanoplasty was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.
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ISSN:1472-6815
1472-6815
DOI:10.1186/1472-6815-10-4