Metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain mimicking hemorrhage: Case report

BACKGROUND Computerized tomography (CT) of metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain usually shows low-to-moderate attenuation. However, mucinous adenoma s 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, pr ogressive right occipital headache. A head CT demonstrated a moderate-to-hi gh attenuation, homogenous mass in the right cerebellar hemisphere consiste nt with an intracerebral hemorrhage. There was no frank calcification in th e mass by CT criteria. An emergent posterior fossa craniectomy revealed non hemorrhagic metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION Moderate-to-high attenuation, noncalcified brain masses should r aise the possibility of mucin-containing neoplasm. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Sci ence Inc.