Primary malignant lymphoma of the cavernous sinus--case report

A 59-year-old female presented with a very rare case of primary malignant lymphoma of the cavernous sinus manifesting as diplopia and right facial hypesthesia. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed the tumor located in the right cavernous sinus as low intensity with marked enhancement by gadolinium. The tumor was partially removed by the transzygomatic extradural approach. The histological diagnosis was malignant lymphoma. Chest and abdominal computed tomography and gallium-67 scintigraphy revealed no other lesions in the body. The patient received conventional radiotherapy and her diplopia and right facial hypesthesia gradually improved. At 1 month after radiotherapy, MR imaging showed no evidence of residual tumor. Primary cavernous sinus malignant lymphoma is extremely rare, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cavernous sinus lesions. Histological confirmation of tumors in this region is essential for choosing the most appropriate treatment to achieve a better outcome.     

Primary malignant lymphoma in the sphenoid sinus with orbital apex syndrome; a case report]

Only 2.0-6.8% of extranodal malignant lymphomas are found in the nasal region and paranasal sinuses. Primary malignant lymphoma of the paranasal sinuses usually occurs in the maxillary or ethmoid sinuses, and is very rare in the sphenoid sinus. Here we report a rare case of primary malignant lymphoma of the sphenoid sinus that was found accompanying orbital apex syndrome. The patient's progressively deteriorating neurological condition was improved after surgery via the transsphenoidal approach. A 52-year-old man was admitted with reduced left visual acuity, diplopia, and retroorbital pain. CT showed an isodense mass in the sphenoid sinus with slight enhancement, and MRI showed that the lesion was slightly hypointense on T1-weighted images, hypointense on T2-weighted images, and slightly enhanced by Gd-DTPA. On January 19, 1989, the patient suddenly became blind. An operation via the transsphenoidal approach was done as an emergency procedure to decompress the sphenoid sinus and the left optic canal. The histological diagnosis was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the diffuse large cell type (B cell lymphoma). Malignant lymphoma in the paranasal sinuses is usually biopsied and treated by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy without surgical resection. In this rare case, an operation via the transsphenoidal approach was effective in improving the patient's visual acuity.     

Malignant melanoma metastatic to the cavernous sinus and skull with an unknown primary origin: report of a case]

A rare case of malignant melanoma metastatic to the cavernous sinus and skull, with an unknown primary origin, is reported. A 46-year-old man noticed diplopia, lt. ptosis and swelling in the parietal and maxillary regions. The parietal skull tumor and the maxillary lymph node were excised and histological examination revealed malignant melanoma. Because of its roentogenological characteristics, the lesion of the cavernous sinus was also thought to be the site of metastasis of malignant melanoma. This case is rare because the initial symptom was cavernous sinus syndrome, and no involvement of brain parenchyma was observed.     

Frontal sinus mucocele with intracranial extension associated with osteoma in the anterior cranial fossa

A 70-year-old man presented with a rare case of paranasal osteoma with secondary mucocele extending intracranially, manifesting as a generalized convulsion. Computed tomography showed a large calcified tumor adjacent to the cystic mass in the left frontal lobe. He underwent left frontal craniotomy, and the cystic lesion was totally removed. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of osteoma and mucocele. The giant paranasal sinus osteoma prevented growth of the mucocele into orbital recess and extension into the orbital space and paranasal sinus. The mucocele disrupted the dura in the anterior cranial fossa, resulting in a giant cystic intracranial lesion. Frontal osteoplastic craniotomy was effective for exposing both lesions and plastic repair of the dural perforation to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage and secondary infection.     

Malignant lymphoma of the gastric stump developing 25 years after a distal gastrectomy for benign gastric disease: Report of a case

We report herein the case of a 57-year-old man in whom malignant lymphoma originating in the gastric remnant was confirmed 25 years after a subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth II reconstruction had been performed for gastric ptosis. Gastroscopy revealed an ulcerated tumor on the fornix, and histologic examination of the endoscopic biopsy specimens demonstrated malignant lymphoma. Thus, total gastrectomy with splenectomy, pancreatectomy, and resection of the previously anastomosed jejunal stoma were performed. Histologic examination of the stomach remnant comfirmed a diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma of the large-cell type. Although we were unable to study the surgical specimen from the initial operation, the possible relationship between pseudolymphoma and malignant lymphoma has been presented in the literature, which is reviewed following this case report.     

A case of malignant lymphoma of the cranial vault

We report a rare case of malignant lymphopma of the cranial vault. A 71-year-old woman developed an asymptomatic subcutaneous mass on the scalp. The skin over the lesion was normal and the mass was firm and attached to the skull. Neurological examination revealed no abnormalities. Plain CT scans showed a high-density lesion that was widely attached to the skull and the surface of the skull was slightly irregular. About 25 days later, enhanced CT showed that the mass was well enhanced and extended into the cranium, and decalcification of the skull adjacent to the lesion had progressed. MRI showed long T1 and T2 values of the mass and the adjacent bone marrow. Bone scintigraphy and gallium scintigraphy showed prominent accumulation of radioisotopes in the scalp lesion. The mass, dura, and infiltrated bone were resected, and the surface of the brain was found to be intact. Histological examination revealed that the tumor was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (diffuse, medium-sized, B cell lymphoma). The fact that the tumor first developed extracranially and then extended into the cranium without severe bone destruction and the fact that the dura completely protected the brain surface may indicate that the malignant lymphoma originated from the skull and showed infiltrative growth, while the dura provided a strong barrier to its intracranial extension. Thus, malignant lymphoma originating from the skull may tend to extend outside the cranium first and within the cranium subsequently, as in our case, and this may be the reason why the complaint at presentation of more than half of the reported patients is a scalp mass rather than any neurological sign.     

Primary malignant lymphoma in the dura and subdural space along the superior sagittal sinus. Case report

A 56-year-old male with a 11-month history of late-onset epilepsy was hospitalized because of status epilepticus. The physical examination and laboratory data were normal. Neurological examination revealed weakness of the right leg. Coronal computed tomography showed a mass of slightly high density in the bilateral parietal convexity, with homogeneous enhancement by contrast medium. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed an en-plaque epidural tumor in the parietal region along the superior sagittal sinus, which was normointense on T1- and T2-weighted images. Conventional and digital subtraction angiography showed an avascular mass between the superior sagittal sinus and the inner table of the skull at the parietal region. The mass was thought to be situated in the parietal epidural space. On surgery, however, the tumor was found to be located mainly in the dura and subdural space. The histological diagnosis was malignant lymphoma of the B cell type. Ga-scintigraphy, physical examination, and bone marrow and peripheral blood examinations disclosed no systemic abnormalities. Therefore, the tumor was interpreted as a primary intracranial malignant lymphoma. Reports of primary intracranial malignant lymphoma have been increasing, but most have been located in the cerebrum. The dural-subdural location in this case is evidently rare.     

Stereotactically inserted tube-guided brain biopsy using positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance coregistered images--case report

A 53-year-old man presented with malignant lymphoma manifesting as disturbances of walking and standing. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed multifocal bifrontal lesions which were enhanced by gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid. Positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose showed high uptake of tracer in the lesion. The PET-MR coregistered image was used to determine the biopsy target. After right frontal craniotomy, a sterilized probe controlled by a neuronavigation system was directly passed into the tumor, and a guide tube was inserted along the same track. After dura opening, a small corticotomy was performed along the guide tube track and the tumor was biopsied. Histological examination revealed malignant lymphoma. The stereotactically inserted tube-guided brain biopsy was less invasive and provided an accurate diagnosis. The PET-MR coregistered image was helpful for determining the most active lesion of the brain tumor.     

Frontal skull base surgery combined with endonasal endoscopic sinus surgery

BACKGROUND: Postoperative infection remains a serious complication after radical resection of anterior skull base lesions because intracranial, nasal, and paranasal cavities are opened during surgery. To prevent complications from postoperative infection, we combined endonasal endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) with the frontal transbasal approach in patients with skull base lesions. METHODS: Patients (n = 16) with anterior skull base lesions extending to the paranasal or nasal cavity underwent surgical resection via the frontal transbasal approach. After removal of the lesion via the transcranial approach, enlargement of the ostium or sinusotomy was performed bilaterally using our endonasal ESS procedure. The main purpose of ESS is the establishment of a wide drainage route to avoid dead space and postoperative infection. Furthermore, we confirmed the absence of residual lesion and leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), endoscopically. RESULTS: The frontal transbasal approach combined with endonasal ESS was performed in 16 patients with frontal skull base lesions. There were 8 malignant tumors, 6 benign tumors, and 2 mucoceles. Although 11 patients had preoperative active paranasal sinusitis, most frequently at the ethmoid sinus, none experienced postoperative infection. There was no complication related to ESS procedure. Furthermore, leakage of CSF and extracranial residual tumor were not found. CONCLUSION: Endonasal ESS after frontal skull base surgery is a highly useful technique for preventing postoperative infection, especially for the cases with large skull base tumors extending into other regions involving the paranasal sinuses or nasal cavity and with active paranasal sinusitis.     

Computer-assisted tomography: Sinus lesions with orbital involvement

Computer-assisted tomography (CAT) is superior to other roentgenographic modalities in evaluation of paranasal sinus lesions whenever extension into the orbit is suspected. CAT not only demonstrates the orbital involvement, its location, and extent, but also the nature of the sinus lesion. Conclusions based on 43 cases of paranasal sinus lesions with orbital involvement are presented. The entities include sinusitis with orbital cellulitis, mucocele, polyposis, ossifying fibroma, fibrous dysplasia, cylindroma, osteoblastoma, lymphoma, carcinoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma.     

Priapism with malignant lymphoma: a case report

A case with priapism in a 66-year-old male due to malignant lymphoma is reported. Physical examination revealed an erected penis and enlarged lymph nodes in left neck and bilateral inguinal areas. Rectal digital examination of prostate revealed an irregular surface and swollen hard left lobe. Open biopsy of the bladder and vesicostomy were carried out. Several nodular lesions in the trigone and in the left wall were excised. Pathologically the diagnosis was malignant lymphoma, diffuse, large cell type and clinical stage was stage IV. CHOP therapy with bleomycin and methotrexate was performed. Priapism disappeared 7 days after the initiation of the chemotherapy, but impotence has been noticed after the chemotherapy for more than one year. This will be the first case with priapism due to malignant lymphoma reported in Japan so far.     

Extraaxial primary malignant lymphoma associated with calcified chronic subdural hematoma: a case report

The authors report the case of a 54-year-old male with extraaxial primary malignant lymphoma associated with calcified chronic subdural hematoma. He slowly developed progressive headache accompanied by a bulge in the left forehead. Skull radiogram showed a large biconvex calcification in the left frontoparietal region, with concave change in the overlying bone. Computed tomograms and magnetic resonance images revealed a left frontoparietal chronic subdural hematoma surrounded by a calcified rim, with marginal enhancement in the frontal portion extending upward to the subcutaneous tissue through the underlying bone. The lesion was suspected to be an infectious calcified hematoma. The patient underwent a craniotomy for the removal of the hematoma. It was observed that the tumor was located mainly in the epidural and subdural space. The extent of the tumor corresponded with the enhanced area of the lesion in the preoperative neuroimages. The histological diagnosis was malignant lymphoma of B cell origin. General examination, which included bone marrow study and Ga scintigraphy, failed to prove systemic lymphoma. Extraaxial primary malignant lymphoma is extremely rare, and this is the first report of a lymphoma associated with calcified chronic subdural hematoma. The authors review the literature and discuss the clinical features and the pathogenesis of the lesion.     

Ruptured cerebral aneurysm followed by primary intracranial malignant lymphoma: case report

Reported herein is a case of ruptured anterior cerebral aneurysm followed by primary intracranial malignant lymphoma. A 73-year-old female was admitted to our hospital on October 20, 1986, with a severe subarachnoid hemorrhage. Microsurgery was performed immediately on the day of admission because cerebral angiography revealed bilateral distal anterior cerebral artery aneurysms. Consciousness gradually deteriorated due to cerebral vasospasm from the 3rd day following surgery. To protect the brain, corticosteroid (methylprednisolone 1500 mg, dexamethasone 252 mg) was administered for 26 days after surgery. In spite of treatment, in March 1987 neurological examination revealed akinetic mutism, but CT scan did not reveal any evidence of tumor. CT scan performed on May 2, 1987, revealed a mass lesion in the left frontotemporal lobes and left basal ganglia. Histological diagnosis of malignant lymphoma (diffuse, large-cell type) was obtained by stereotactic biopsy. Radiotherapy (41 Gy of 60Co) was carried out. The CT scan performed on August 26, 1987 revealed that the abnormal enhanced lesion had disappeared. However, neurological findings had not remarkably improved. The patient died of renal failure in February 1988, but tumor recurrence had not been noted in CT scans. Autopsy could not be performed. Whole body CT scan and 67Gd scintigram did not reveal any other tumors except in the brain. Ruptured cerebral aneurysm followed by primary intracranial malignant lymphoma is very rarely reported. In such cases, which have unusual clinical courses and CT findings, we recommend stereotactic biopsy to treat this kind of radiosensitive tumor. The connection between malignant lymphoma and immunosuppression has been considered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Malignant melanoma arising from the sphenoidal sinus--case report

Malignant melanomas arising from the sella turcica or sphenoidal sinus with bilateral invasion of the base of the skull or cavernous sinus are extremely rare. Whether the sella turcica or sphenoidal sinus is the site of origin is difficult to determine based on neuroradiological findings. An 83-year-old Japanese female presented with headache as the initial symptom. She suffered rapid progression of bilateral obstruction of the nasal cavity, left nasal bleeding, and bilateral visual field defects. The preoperative diagnosis was pituitary adenoma, metastatic tumor, or malignant paranasal tumor. Biopsy was performed. The histological diagnosis was malignant melanoma. Postoperatively, the tumor progressed rapidly. She suffered several cranial nerve pareses and hypopituitarism. She died within 6 months. Tumors arising from the sphenoidal sinus cause obstruction of the nasal cavity or nasal bleeding first, and then cause cranial nerve pareses by invasion of the cavernous sinus. This sequence of clinical manifestations can be attributed to the anatomical relationships between the sphenoidal sinus, nasal cavity, and cavernous sinus. Differential diagnosis of the origin in the sella turcica or sphenoidal sinus appears to be relatively easy based on further observation of the clinical course and symptoms.     

Noncontiguous bilateral esthesioneuroblastoma: a case report.

Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare malignant neoplasm arising from the olfactory epithelium. This tumor has a tendency to originate from one side of the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses with frequent extension into the contralateral nasal cavity through direct invasion. A review of the literature reveals numerous case reports describing esthesioneuroblastoma with unilateral or bilateral involvement; however, there have been no known reports of bilateral noncontiguous (multifocal) esthesioneuroblastoma. We present a unique case of a patient diagnosed with two separate primary esthesioneuroblastomas who was managed with preoperative radiation followed by surgical resection of the tumor. This case illustrates that esthesioneuroblastoma must remain as part of the differential diagnosis for a multifocal, noncontiguous intranasal and paranasal sinus mass.     

Multicentric involvement of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the central nervous system and testis--case report

A 73-year-old male presented with diffuse mixed B cell lymphoma with involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) and testis manifesting as mild disorientation and aphasia. A left frontal cerebral mass and a right testicular tumor were found, and both lesions were surgically resected. Histological examination revealed diffuse mixed B cell type malignant lymphoma in the CNS and testis. The patient received irradiation to the head, and his initial symptoms improved. Pelvic computed tomography revealed enlargement of the contralateral testis and prostate. Needle biopsy confirmed lymphoma. The patient died 5 months after the initial diagnosis of septic shock. Autopsy examination revealed lymphoma cell invasion of the lung, bone marrow, prostate gland, and thalamus, but without involvement of the systemic lymph nodes. In a patient with an intracranial lymphoma, it is important to determine if the lesion is primary or metastatic and to plan medical treatment including systemic chemotherapy as soon as possible. Improvement of the prognosis of systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with CNS involvement requires the detection and effective treatment of systemic lesions as well as the control of the CNS lesions.     

Laparoscopic resection for malignant lymphoma of the ileum causing ileocecal intussusception

A 22-year-old man was admitted with right lower abdominal pain. Colonoscopy revealed a ball-like tumor at the ileum. Abdominal sonography and computed tomography showed ileocecal intussusception. Microscopic examination of the biopsy specimen showed malignant lymphoma. Laparoscopic ileocecal resection was performed. Histologic diagnosis of the resected tumor was diffuse large B cell-type malignant lymphoma. Intussusception due to malignant lymphoma is relatively rare in adults. If contraindications of laparoscopy are not present, laparoscopic resection can be performed safely and should be considered for diagnosis and treatment for intussusception in ileocecal lesions in adults.     

Intracranial and orbital extension of a nasal cavity adult T-cell leukemia: a case report

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is one kind of leukemia induced by human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection. An unusual case of ATL is presented. A fifty-one-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital because of nasal obstruction and blindness in the left eye. Imaging study revealed a mass lesion in the nasal cavity, the left paranasal sinus extending to the left orbit and intracranial frontal base. Biopsy of the mass from the paranasal sinus was carried out and the histological diagnosis was a granulomatous lesion with non-specific inflammation. The clinical impression of the lesion was lethal midline granuloma. After steroid therapy and 50 Gy of local radiotherapy, the patient's symptoms disappeared except for his blindness in the left eye. Imaging study revealed that the mass lesion had become smaller. In spite of local improvement, new lesions such as cervical lymph node swelling and multiple nodular shadows in the lung fields appeared on CT scan. Histological diagnosis of the biopsied cervical lymph node was T-cell dominant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the diffuse type. Serologically, anti-HTLV-I antibody was positive. Southern blot analysis of lymph node biopsy showed monoclonal proliferation of ATL cells. We made the diagnosis of our case as ATL. The patient died 16 months later despite repeated systemic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and prednisolone. ATL can involve the central nervous system (CNS) and manifest CNS symptoms. The neurosurgeon also should consider the CNS involvement of ATL especially in Japan.     

Primary cerebral angiitis containing marked xanthoma cells with massive intraparenchymal involvement--case report--

A 27-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with mild disorientation, bilateral abducens nerve palsy, and mild left hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed diffuse mass lesions resembling malignant glioma in the right frontal intraparenchymal region, with enhancement of multiple meningeal and intraparenchymal nodules. Partial resection of the frontal lesion was performed. Histological examination revealed that the specimens consisted of brain tissue, with marked perivascular infiltration of histiocytes and sheets of xanthomatous cells. The diagnosis was primary cerebral angiitis containing marked xanthoma cells. Steroid therapy was administered over 1 week. MR imaging showed that the remaining lesions resolved gradually, and had disappeared 2 years after surgery. No neurological symptoms or recurrence of the tumor has been observed during the 6-year period since the operation.     

A case report of anorectal malignant melanoma with mucosal skipped lesion

IntroductionWe report our experience involving a case of relatively rare anorectal malignant melanoma with skipped lesion.Presentation of caseThe patient was a 72-year-old man who had visited a local clinic complaining of a mass in the anal region, whereupon he was referred to our hospital on suspicion of a malignant melanoma. Close examination revealed a 25-mm black type 1 tumor one-third the size of the circumference of the anal canal and located externally to it. We performed transanal resection of the tumor and confirmed a diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Notably, multiple macular black lesions spaced away from the main lesion were observed during surgery in half of the circumference of the anal canal, from the tumor to the pectinate line. A biopsy of the area also revealed malignant melanoma; therefore, we performed abdominoperineal resection. Pathological diagnosis indicated a submucosal depth; the patient was thus diagnosed with T4 N2c M0 stage IIIb malignant melanoma and was followed on an outpatient basis.DiscussionPatients with anorectal malignant melanoma have very poor prognoses owing to early lymph node metastasis and hematogenous metastasis. Our case illustrates that small anorectal malignant melanoma lesions can spread from the main lesion and invade the mucosa; examinations may sometimes miss such skipped lesions.ConclusionSkipped lesions can occur in anorectal melanomas; thus, careful scrutiny of such lesions is required. Moreover, lesion resection is critical for anorectal malignant melanomas.