Korean J Gastroenterol.  2008 Dec;52(6):389-393.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Metastasis to the Cavernous Sinus of Skull Base Causing Ptosis

• Kim SJ
• Kim HJ
• Lee HW
• Choi CH
• Kim JU
• Do JH
• Kim JK
• Chang SK

Abstract

The cavernous sinus of skull base is a extremely rare metastastatic site for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A 51-year-old man was diagnosed with HCC by liver biopsy and palliative radiotherapy on HCC including main portal vein was performed. One month later, he was admitted due to sudden onset ptosis. Neurologic findings were normal except for abnormal movement of right eye, and it raised the possibility of abnormality in the right occulomotor, trochlear and the abducens nerves. Contrast-enhanced CT scan of brain showed a mass with homogeneous enhancement involving the right cavernous sinus. T2-weighted axial MR images demonstrated a homogeneous mass with intermediate signal intensity, and contrast-enhanced axial T1-weighted MR images demonstrated a mass with homogeneous enhancement in the right cavernous sinus. We describe a case of HCC metastasis to the cavernous sinus with symptoms of ptosis and disturbance of right eyeball movement.

Keyword

Hepatocellular carcinoma; Metastasis; Cavernous sinus; Ptosis

MeSH Terms

Blepharoptosis/*etiology/pathology
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications/*diagnosis/*secondary
Cavernous Sinus/*pathology
Humans
Liver Neoplasms/complications/*pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Ophthalmoplegia/pathology
Skull Base Neoplasms/diagnosis/*secondary
Tomography, X-Ray Computed