HEMANGIOPERICYTOMA OF THE TEMPORAL BONE PRESENTING AS A RETROAURICULAR MASS

AN UNUSUAL CASE of a hemangiopericytoma arising from the temporal bone is presented. The patient was noted to have a postauricular mass and was neurologically asymptomatic. A preoperative magnetic resonance ima ge and an angiogram revealed the tumor to be highly vascular. Preopera tive embolization facilitated the surgical removal of the tumor by ren dering it avascular. Current therapy consists of radical resection of the tumor with postoperative radiation therapy. Patients must be monit ored carefully for local recurrence and systemic metastasis.