Internal carotid artery occlusion due to idiopathic cranial pachymeningitis

A 35-year-old black woman had a 6-month history of headaches and a 1-month history of abducens nerve palsy. MR showed a mass in the sella and cavernous sinuses with encasement of the carotid artery. The mass enhanced intensely and homogeneously with Gd-DTPA. Arteriography revealed complete occlusion of the left internal carotid artery and severe stenosis of the C5 and C6 segments of the right internal carotid artery. Transsphenoidal biopsy of the mass led to the diagnosis of idiopathic cranial pachymeningitis.