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Review
. 2014 Aug 10:18:284.
doi: 10.11604/pamj.2014.18.284.4416. eCollection 2014.

Adenocarcinoma of the sphenoid sinus

Youssef Darouassi  1 , Mehdi Chihani  1 , Mohamed Mliha Touati  1 , Karim Nadour  1 , Haddou Ammar  1 , Brahim Bouaity  1
Affiliations
Review

Adenocarcinoma of the sphenoid sinus

Youssef Darouassi et al. Pan Afr Med J. .

Abstract

Adenocarcinomas of the sphenoid sinus are exceptional. In this paper, we report a new case with a review of the literature. Our patient was a 45-year-old man who presented with isolated retro orbital headache. CT and MRI suspected a malignat tumor of the sphenoid sinus. The patient underwent a debulking surgery. The final pathology carried out the diagnosis of primary adenocarcinoma. The patient died several months later from radiotherapy complications. Even if adenocarcinomas of the sphenoid sinus are exceptional, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sphenoid sinus masses. The prognosis is poor.

Keywords: Sphenoid sinus; adenocarcinoma; endonasal surgery; radiotherapy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Coronal section CT scan centered on the sphenoid sinus, objectifying process of sinus tissue and bone lysis of the floor of the sella and the left side wall of the sphenoid sinus (arrows)
Figure 2
Figure 2
MRI coronal T1 sequence without gadolinium showing a process of the sphenoid sinus tumor with isosignal to brain
Figure 3
Figure 3
Axial MRI through the sphenoid sinus on T1 with gadolinium, showing a tissue process occupying the sinus with heterogeneous enhancement
Figure 4
Figure 4
MRI sagittal T1 sequence with gadolinium, highlighting a tissue process with heterogeneous enhancement, occupying the sphenoid sinus and respecting pituitary gland, which is separated by a hyposignal border (arrow)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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