Ear and audiology: persistent stapedial artery: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Ear and audiology: persistent stapedial artery

Sample item

A 30-year-old has pulsatile tinnitus and a pulsating red mass behind an intact drum, near the promontory. CT shows absence of the foramen spinosum and a tiny canal over the promontory. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Persistent stapedial artery

A persistent stapedial artery is an embryonic vessel that persists, passes through the obturator foramen of the stapes and joins the middle meningeal artery, so the foramen spinosum is absent on CT. It is a pulsatile retrotympanic mass that must not be biopsied.

Option by option

  • A. Glomus tympanicum

    A glomus tympanicum is a vascular tumour with normal foramen spinosum, seen as an enhancing mass on the promontory.

  • B. Aberrant internal carotid artery

    An aberrant internal carotid artery is seen as a vessel in the hypotympanum entering the middle ear through a dehiscent carotid canal.

  • C. Persistent stapedial artery (correct)

    Correct. Absent foramen spinosum with a pulsatile retrotympanic mass is a persistent stapedial artery.

  • D. High dehiscent jugular bulb

    A high dehiscent jugular bulb is a bluish mass in the posteroinferior middle ear.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is C, Persistent stapedial artery. A persistent stapedial artery is an embryonic vessel that persists, passes through the obturator foramen of the stapes and joins the middle meningeal artery, so the foramen spinosum is absent on CT.

Why is "Glomus tympanicum" not the answer?

A glomus tympanicum is a vascular tumour with normal foramen spinosum, seen as an enhancing mass on the promontory.

Why is "Aberrant internal carotid artery" not the answer?

An aberrant internal carotid artery is seen as a vessel in the hypotympanum entering the middle ear through a dehiscent carotid canal.

Why is "High dehiscent jugular bulb" not the answer?

A high dehiscent jugular bulb is a bluish mass in the posteroinferior middle ear.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Ear and audiology: persistent stapedial artery in ENT. It is a pulsatile retrotympanic mass that must not be biopsied.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Ear and audiology: persistent stapedial artery?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.