title: Primary carcinoid tumor of the cavernous sinus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intracranial carcinoid tumors belong to the class of neuroendocrine tumors and their incidence is extremely rare. The pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of carcinoid tumors of the skull base are outlined in this case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 61-year-old multimorbid woman presented with transient memory loss. Computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scan of the brain demonstrated a left cavernous sinus mass extending into the infratemporal fossa. The lesion was biopsied using the Caldwell-Luc approach, and histology showed a low-grade neuroendocrine tumor. The tumor was subtotally resected with a neurosurgery/head and neck combined preauricular infratemporal and subtemporal extradural approaches to the cavernous sinus. Further histologic evaluation revealed that the tumor was of carcinoid differentiation with no other primary or metastatic sites detectable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary intracranial carcinoid tumors, though rare, should be included in the differential diagnosis of extradural and dural-based lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Amade
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bregy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weed
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA. Electronic address: jmorcos@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Jacques J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Morcos
mesh_terms: D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D035262:Cranial Fossa, Anterior / Q000473:pathology; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Brain tumor; Cavernous sinus; Intracranial carcinoid; Neuroendocrine tumor