title: Metastatic choriocarcinoma: a rare cause of stroke in the young adult.
abstract: A 20-year old woman presented with acute right hemiplegia 10 weeks after intrauterine fetal death at 34-weeks gestation (G1P0). A brain MRI showed a typical acute infarct in the left middle cerebral artery territory. A CT pulmonary angiography carried out 1 week later for sudden cardiopulmonary deterioration showed disseminated pulmonary metastases. The CT was extended to the abdomen and pelvis, which showed a uterine mass with bilateral theca lutein cysts. The radiological diagnosis of metastatic choriocarcinoma was made and was subsequently confirmed with the markedly increased serum beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin. A serum beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin is therefore considered worthwhile in any young female adult who presents with stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. nivene_f_saad@health.qld.gov.au
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sclavos
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Stuckey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D035583:Rare Diseases; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin