Section Editor: Sandy Cheng-Yu Chen, M.D.
Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Figure Caption
Glomus tympanicum (GT) is a benign neoplasm characterized by slow growing and local destruction. The tumor develops from normal glomus bodies located along the Jacobson (tympanic) nerve in the middle ear. Patients with GT often present with pulsatile tinnitus and conductive hearing loss. Physically, a red-bluish mass behind the tympanic membrane is typical. The classic CT finding is a small soft tissue mass abutting the promontory (yellow arrow) of the middle ear. Large tumor may cause moth eaten type of bone destruction (red arrow).