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Metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain mimicking hemorrhage: case report
M R Harrigan1, S S Gebarski, S R Messe
1Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, USA.
Background:
Computerized tomography (CT) of metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain usually shows low-to-moderate attenuation. However, mucinous adenomas may appear with high attenuation, mimicking hemorrhage.
Case Description:
A 68-year-old man with a history of metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma presented to the emergency room complaining of a chronic, progressive right occipital headache. A head CT demonstrated a moderate-to-high attenuation, homogenous mass in the right cerebellar hemisphere consistent with an intracerebral hemorrhage. There was no frank calcification in the mass by CT criteria. An emergent posterior fossa craniectomy revealed nonhemorrhagic metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma.
Conclusion:
Moderate-to-high attenuation, noncalcified brain masses should raise the possibility of mucin-containing neoplasm.