Pneumosinus dilatans: a sign of intracranial meningioma

Document Type

Article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pneumosinus dilatans affecting the sphenoid and posterior ethmoid sinuses has been reported in association with spheno-orbital meningiomas and is believed by some authors be a sign of an adjacent meningioma. METHODS: We report the case of a 57-year-old man who developed progressive neurologic signs and symptoms consistent with a frontal lobe lesion. Neuroimaging studies revealed a large partially cystic mass at the base of the anterior cranial fossa that appeared to be invading the left frontal lobe and that was associated with pneumosinus dilatans of the adjacent left frontal sinus. RESULTS: Although the appearance of the mass by neuroimaging was thought to be most consistent with a malignant glioma, the lesion was found at craniotomy to be a benign meningothelial meningioma. CONCLUSIONS: Many previous cases of progressive optic neuropathy associated with pneumosinus dilatans affecting the sphenoid and posterior ethmoid sinuses have been found to be caused by adjacent optic nerve sheath meningiomas. This case provides further evidence that pneumosinus dilatans is a sign of intracranial meningioma.

Medical Subject Headings

Humans; Male; Meningioma (complications, diagnosis); Middle Aged; Paranasal Sinus Diseases (etiology); Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms (complications, diagnosis)

Publication Date

11-1-1996

Publication Title

Surgical neurology

ISSN

0090-3019

Volume

46

Issue

5

First Page

471

Last Page

4

PubMed ID

8874548

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/s0090-3019(96)00032-8

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