Chondromyxoid fibroma of the temporal bone: A rare entity

Abstract

Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is the least common benign tumor of the cartilaginous origin. It is very unusual to find these tumors in the skull bones. We report one such case involving the temporal bone. Till date, only nine such cases including this patient, involving the temporal bone have been reported to the best of our knowledge. Grant Medical College and Sir J.J Group of Hospitals, Byculla, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. A 12-year-old female patient presented with a history of headache associated with left earache of 1 month duration. This was followed by swelling over the left preauricular region 15 days later. Imaging was suggestive of an expansile lesion involving the squamous part of the left temporal bone with calcifications suggestive of a benign chondroid lesion. The patient was operated upon with left temporal incision and complete excision of the lesion. The patient had relief from headache, earache and swelling, with no evidence of new neurological deficit in the post-operative period. CMF of the skull bone is an extremely rare tumor. Differential diagnosis should be kept in mind, especially in cases of calcified lesions and includes chordoma, chondroid chondroma, and low-grade myxoid chondrosarcoma. En-bloc complete excision should be the aim to achieve cure.

Keywords: Chondromyxoid; fibroma; temporal.

Figure 1

X-ray of the skull was suggestive of a multilobulated radiolucent lesion with well-defined margins in the left temporal region

Figure 2

Computerized tomography scan showing a lesion about 4.1 cm × 3.2 cm arising from the left temporal region. It shows isodense soft tissue within and also shows small, calcific foci

Figure 3

Magnetic resonance imaging scan showing a lobulated mass in the squamous part of the left temporal bone. Cortex is well maintained with no intracranial extension. The lesion shows heterogeneous enhancement on post gadolinium contrast images

Figure 4

On histopathological examination, tumor cells can be seen arranged in a lobular pattern. Individual lobules show central hypocellular and peripheral hypercellular areas comprised of sheets of chondrocytes. Focal areas of dense calcification are also seen, suggestive of chondromyxoid fibroma

Figure 5

Post-operative computerized tomography scan showing complete tumor excision