The Skull Base Tumor That Causes Hearing Loss: Imaging Diagnosis of Glomus Jugulare Paraganglioma
Glomus Jugulare Paraganglioma: The Skull Base Tumor Every Radiologist Must Recognize Introduction A middle-aged woman presents with progressive right-sided hearing loss and intermittent vertigo. Initial clinical suspicion may include vestibular schwannoma, chronic otitis media, or age-related auditory dysfunction. However, advanced imaging reveals a highly vascular skull base lesion centered at the jugular foramen. The final diagnosis? Glomus jugulare paraganglioma. Although uncommon, this tumor remains one of the most important jugular foramen lesions encountered in neuroradiology. Failure to recognize its imaging appearance may delay diagnosis, complicate surgical planning, and increase morbidity. With modern MRI, temporal bone CT, molecular PET imaging, and emerging AI-assisted diagnostic workflows, radiologists now possess powerful tools for early detection and characterization. This article reviews a classic case and explores the imaging hallmarks, differential diagnosis, pathophy...