title: Pitfalls in computed tomographic evaluation of the cavernous sinus.
abstract: Computed tomography (CT) is the diagnostic procedure of choice in cavernous sinus evaluation. Two patients are reported with painful ophthalmoplegia due to metastatic carcinoma to the cavernous sinus in which initial CT scanning was considered to be normal. These cases illustrate the necessity of thin tomographic sections (5 mm or less), multiple projections (axial, coronal) and large doses of intravenous contrast medium (bolus and drip infusion). Careful technique is essential in order to thoroughly evaluate the parasellar region and avoid a false-negative CT examination.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000209:etiology; D012658:Sella Turcica; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology