Primary B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the internal auditory canal. Case report and literature review

A primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the internal auditory canal or the cerebellopontine angle is an absolute rarity, even among the unusual lesions encountered there. Schwannomas or meningiomas account for approximately 90-95% of the tumors of the cerebellopontine angle and the internal auditory canal. Atypical symptoms, such as facial nerve palsy or rapid progression, require differential diagnostics to identify less frequent entities. However, clinical symptoms or the image morphology cannot confirm the diagnosis of a lymphoma. If a malignant process is suspected during surgical exploration, an immediate intraoperative biopsy can give important clues for appropriate treatment. The course, diagnostics, and therapy of a rare case of primary B-cell NHL of the internal auditory canal are reported here.