Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Cholesterol granuloma
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Cholesterol granulomas can occur in any obstructed air cells. They often arise from the apex of the petrous bone and may enlarge enough to expand in the posterior cranial fossa and produce nerve disturbances.
Differentiating Cholesterol granuloma from Other Diseases
Differentiating Cholesterol granuloma from Other Diseases
- Mucocele
- Dermoid/Epidermoid
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
The imaging findings are
- At CT, cholesterol granulomas appear as sharply and smoothly marginated expansile lesions in the temporal bone, isoattenuating with brain tissue and nonenhancing.
- At MR imaging, they characteristically have a large central region of increased signal intensity and a thin peripheral rim of decreased signal intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted images. The latter finding corresponds to expanded cortical bone and hemosiderin deposits.
- Spontaneous and homogeneous central high signal intensity on T1-weighted images is very suggestive of a cholesterol granuloma.
References
References
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]