Imaging findings of granular cell tumours of the head and neck

Abstract

To review the imaging characteristics of granular cell tumours in the head and neck and assess their associations with pathological findings. Eleven patients (10 [91%] women, mean age 43 years) with histopathologically confirmed granular cell tumours were included in this study. Preoperative imaging studies were performed, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or ultrasound. The location of the tumours, their imaging features, and histopathological findings were analysed. Among the 11 granular cell tumours, four (36%), three (27%), and two (18%) tumours were found in the submucosal layer, subcutaneous layer, and intramuscular area, respectively. On CT, all tumours exhibited homogeneous iso-attenuating enhancement compared with adjacent muscle, and nine out of the 11 tumours (81%) demonstrated well-defined margins. On T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), four out of five tumours (80%) demonstrated iso-signal intensity compared with adjacent muscles, and four tumours (80%) exhibited homogeneous signal intensity. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values ranged from 0.68-0.81×10-3 mm2/s. Histopathological examination revealed densely packed tumour cells with variable amounts of fibrous stroma. Granular cell tumours were characterised by well-defined and iso-signals on T2WI and low mean ADC values, and were predominantly located in the submucosal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular areas in middle-aged women. The characteristic locations, demographic characteristics, and imaging findings can help to differentiate granular cell tumours from other soft-tissue tumours in the head and neck.