Meningiomas of the Cerebellopontine Angle

Abstract

The majority of cerebellopontine angle tumors are acoustic neurinomas; however, 10% to 15% are meningiomas. Meningiomas are benign lesions that must be removed but may require surgical approaches different from those used for acoustic neurinomas. To determine if meningiomas could be distinguished from acoustic neurinomas clinically, findings in 20 patients who underwent removal of a meningioma were compared to those in 131 patients who had an acoustic neurinoma removed during the same period. We found that in patients with meningiomas the tumors frequently are large at presentation, the otologic symptoms and audiometric findings are less dramatic, and roentgenograms of the skull and tomograms of the petrous apex rarely show erosion of the internal auditory canal. Computerized tomography is the most useful method for differentiating a meningioma from a neurinoma: when a meningioma is present the characteristic finding is a broad-based mass aligned with the petrous ridge, not centered over the internal auditory canal.

Posterior Fossa Meningioma: Surgical Strategy

“…1 2 Unlike acoustic neuroma, posterior fossa meningioma presents a real surgical challenge. A relatively higher morbidity and mortality have characterized the different series presented in the literature when compared to acoustic neuromas.…”

Clinical and surgical considerations for cerebellopontine angle meningiomas

“…Meningiomas are the second most common tumor of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA), accounting for 10% to 15% of tumors in this location, while most are vestibular schwannomas (VS). [1][2][3][4] The two tumor types have distinct prognostic and treatment considerations with respect to hearing preservation and morbidity associated with various interventions. Radiographic evidence of internal auditory canal (IAC) involvement by tumor and unilateral hearing loss has traditionally been considered suggestive of VS. [5][6][7] Previous reports of IAC invasion rates by CPA meningiomas have been 10% to 17%, [8][9][10] and invasion has generally been considered rare.…”

A Posterior Petrous Meningioma with Recurrent Vertigo

“…Of these, approximately 8-12% are located in the posterior cranial fossa [4, 5]. The most common sites of origin, in descending order, are the parasagittal region, falx, convexit, olfactory groove, tuburculum sellae, sphenoid ridge, anterior petrous face, posterior petrous face, and so on [6]. Meningiomas of the posterior cranial fossa compose 5% to 8% of all intracranial meningiomas and around 10% to 15% of CPA tumors [6].…”