ABSTRACT
Objective: to determine the role of MRI in evaluation of different Cerebellopontine angle tumors, and differentiation between them
Materials and Method: This study was conducted in the period between January 2009 and December 2012. Fifty four patients with CPA masses were selected on bases of neurotological complains that related to CPA
Results: Cerebellopontine angle masses in this study were classified into two groups: acoustic neuromas and non acoustic neuromas CPA masses. Twenty eight of cases [51.8%] were acoustic neuromas in which 26 cases were unilateral acoustic neuromas and 2 cases with bilateral neuromas, the remaining 26 cases [48.2%] were other non acoustic CPA masses. These included, one trigeminal neuroma [1.9%], 6 [11.1%] cases were CPA meningiomas, 6 [11.1] cases were epidermoid, 3 [5.6%] cases were arachnoid cyst, 2 [3.7%] cases were glomus jugulare tumors, 3 [5.6%] cases metastatic tumors and 5 [9.2%] cases were intraaxial and intraventricular tumors extending to the CPA, this included 2 cases cerebellar hemangioblastoma, 1 case pontine glioma and 2 cases were fourth ventricular ependymoma
Conclusion: MR imaging is considered the imaging method of choice to assess CPA tumors and to distinguish between them