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Superficial temporal artery biopsy diagnostic for lung carcinoma
M T Bhatti1, J Furman, S Gupta
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0284, USA.
Purpose:
To report a unique finding of metastatic tumor cells in the lumen of a superficial temporal artery biopsy specimen in a patient with severe visual loss and optic neuropathy.
Methods:
Case report.
Results:
A 69-year-old man presented with anorexia, pancranial headaches, and acute unilateral visual loss. Ophthalmic examination showed a visual acuity of no light perception and an amaurotic pupil in the left eye. Fundus examination was normal. A superficial temporal artery biopsy, performed for presumed arteritic posterior ischemic optic neuropathy, demonstrated intraluminal cells with irregular nuclei and prominent nucleoli suggestive of metastatic malignancy. Further systemic evaluation uncovered a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung with intravascular infiltration and multiple distant metastases.
Conclusion:
Extensive systemic intravascular tumor embolization may be associated with optic neuropathy.
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