Vertigo Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vertigo, including details on causes, symptoms, treatment, dizziness.

Metastatic lung cancer in the cerebellopontine angles mimicking bilateral acoustic neuroma.

Hariharan S, Zhu J, Nadkarni MA, Donahue JE

New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, J.F.K. Medical Center, Seton Hall School of Graduate Medical Education, Edison, NJ, USA.

Bilateral cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors identified on MRI are considered bilateral acoustic neuromas, the definitive diagnostic criterion of neurofibromatosis 2 (NF-2). We report the case of a 67-year-old man with progressive bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and imbalance. MRI revealed bilateral enhancing CPA lesions, which were suggestive of acoustic neuromas and a diagnosis of NF-2. However, autopsy showed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung. Therefore, metastatic carcinoma to the CPA can mimic bilateral acoustic neuromas; imaging studies alone may be insufficient to diagnose NF-2.

Published 7 March 2005 in J Clin Neurosci, 12(2): 184-6.
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