A MRI of a 59-year-old male with right hemifacial hypoesthesia showed a low signal T2-weighted expansive mass in the right Meckel's cave. After failure of initial conservative treatment (Figure 1), surgery was done with partial lesion resection (Figure 2). The pathology and chest CT were consistent with granulomatous disease: neurosarcoidosis. On follow-up the lesion increased in size but after corticosteroids it reversed (Figure 3). The involvement of the trigeminal nerve is very rare with only few cases described in literature. Although rare, sarcoid infiltration of the Gasserian ganglion must be considered in the differential diagnosis of an isolated mass at Meckel’s cave, especially if it has T2 hypointensity signal.
References
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2Quinones-Hinojosa A, Chang EF, Khan SA, McDermott MW. Isolated trigeminal nerve sarcoid granuloma mimicking trigeminal schwannoma: case report. Neurosurgery. 2003;52(3):700-5.
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Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Feb 2015
History
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Received
19 Sept 2014 -
Reviewed
02 Oct 2014 -
Accepted
22 Oct 2014