[Cavernous angioma in the cerebellopontine angle: a case report].

A rare case of cavernous angioma (CA) in the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) is reported. A 60-year-old female suffered from a right progressive sensorineural hearing loss and a successive right facial paresis over 2 years. A small mass was detected in her right CPA on CT scans. Both T1- and T2-weighted MR images demonstrated an intracanalicular lesion protruding into the CPA as being hyperintense. A small red colored lobulated tumor involving the 7th and 8th cranial nerves was found in the CPA through the suboccipital approach. The tumor contained multiple small hematomas in various stages. Biopsy with evacuation of these hematomas was selected to avoid damaging the cranial nerves. Histological examination of the specimen disclosed it as CA. Postoperatively her facial paresis improved slightly, but her hearing loss remained unchanged. Discussions were carried out concerning clinical and neuroradiological features of CA in the internal auditory canal and CPA. The present case and a previously reported 17 cases were the subjects under discussion.