Glomus tympanica and other intratympanic masses: Role of imaging

Tumors and tumorlike conditions in the temporal bone are numerous. Glomus tumors (nonchromaffin chemodectomas and paragangliomas) are the most common neoplasms of the middle ear and are second in frequency to only vestibular schwannomas within the temporal bone. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies provide valuable information in determining the location and extension of middle ear glomus tumors as well as other potential mimics, such as facial nerve schwannoma, meningioma, extension of intralabyrinthine schwannoma into the middle ear, aberrant course of the internal carotid artery, exposed or high-riding jugular bulb, extramedullary hematopoiesis, adenoma, adenocarcinoma, papilloma, cholesterol granuloma, metastases, and tuberculous otitis media. This article reviews imaging characteristics of glomus complex tumors and selected potential mimics.