• Epidemiology
  1. Most common in 40 to 50 year old women
  • Pathophysiology
  1. Neuroendocrine tumor arising from from glomus bodies
    1. Jugular bulb origin or
    2. Middle ear neural plexus
  2. Tympanic Membrane invasion follows Hearing Loss
  3. May involve Cranial Nerves
  • Symptoms
  1. Pulsating Tinnitus
  2. Hearing Loss
  • Signs
  1. Dark blue, purple or red-blue mass behind TM
  • Diagnosis
  1. CT Temporal Bone
  • Differential Diagnosis
  1. Anomalous Carotid Artery
  2. Anomalous jugular bulb
  • Management
  1. Do not biopsy (very vascular)
  2. Surgical excision