Imaging: Cat with facial paralysis

Nice job both of you on differentials! This is most likely arising from the ear. Squamaous cell carcinoma (SCC) and ceruminous gland adenocarcinoma are the two most common ear tumors in cats. Incisional biopsy and histopathology determined this mass to be an SCC. The other things to note on the MRI are meningeal contrast enhancement adjacent to the right ear, as well as (presumed incidental) changes in the frontal sinuses. The question is whether the cat had a secondary obstructive otitis media with otogenic meningoencephalitis or is this was extension of tumor. Necropsy would be needed to determine this, but unfortunately the cat was euthanized by his primary care veterinarian so I don’t have necropsy results. Considering the degree of laryngeal compression by the mass, it’s amazing that the cat had no signs of upper airway dysfunction, dysphagia, etc.