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 adenomas may appear with high attenuation, mimicking hemorrhage.


METHODS
A 68-year-old man with a history of metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma presented to the emergency room complaining of a chronic, progressive right occipital headache. A head CT demonstrated a moderate-to-high attenuation, homogenous mass in the right cerebellar hemisphere consistent with an intracerebral hemorrhage. There was no frank calcification in the mass by CT criteria. An emergent posterior fossa craniectomy revealed nonhemorrhagic metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate-to-high attenuation, noncalcified brain masses should raise the possibility of mucin-containing neoplasm.
Harrigan
M R
MR
Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, USA.
Gebarski
S S
SS
Messe
S R
SR
Blaivas
M
M
McGillicuddy
J E
JE
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed