Leprosy of the great auricular nerve: case report and review of the literature

We report clinical, imaging and pathology findings of a patient with leprosy of the great auricular nerve who presented with palpable nodules and numbness of the left ear and scalp. Ultrasound and contrast-enhanced CT imaging of the neck demonstrated diffuse enlargement and enhancement of the great auricular nerve. Biopsy of the enlarged left great auricular nerve revealed granulomatous inflammation with necrosis involving the nerve with rare Fite-positive organisms compatible with mycobacterium. Positive PCR for Mycobacterium leprae of the surgical specimen confirmed diagnosis of Hansen's disease.