title: Pneumocephalus due to nasopharyngeal carcinoma: case report.
abstract: A 55-year-old man with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma presented with intractable headaches and intermittent rhinorrhoea for 2 weeks. CT showed severe destruction of the skull base by the tumour. The headache persisted despite intraventricular morphine. On the 29th hospital day, sudden onset of neurological deterioration led to coma, and CT revealed tension pneumocephalus due to nasopharyngeal carcinoma breaking through the skull base. The literature on pneumocephalus is reviewed and the aetiology discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kiu
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D011007:Pneumocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed