title: Miliary pattern of brain metastases - a case report of a hyperacute onset in a patient with malignant melanoma documented by magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Miliary brain metastases are a rare condition but associated with an exceedingly poor prognosis. We present the case of a patient suffering from malignant melanoma with an acute progressively worsening of neurological symptoms up to the loss of consciousness. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a new onset of disseminated, miliary spread of central nervous system metastases from a malignant melanoma within 4 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report on a 57-year-old woman suffering from metastatic malignant melanoma positive for BRAF-V600E mutation who developed an acute onset of neurological symptoms. The patient received vemurafenib and dacarbacin as chemotherapeutic regime for treatment of malignant melanoma. After admission to our hospital due to progressive disturbance of memory and speech difficulty a magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) was performed. This showed no evidence of cerebral tumour manifestation. The symptoms progressed until a loss of consciousness occurred on day five after admission and the patient was admitted to our intensive care unit for orotracheal intubation. No evidence for infectious, metabolic or autoimmune cerebral disorders was found. Due to the inexplicable acute worsening of the neurological symptoms a second MRI was performed on day five. This revealed a new onset of innumerable contrast-enhancing miliary lesions, especially in the grey matter which was proven as metastases from malignant melanoma on histopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case describes an unique hyperacute onset of tumour progression correlating with an acute deterioration of neurological symptoms in a patient suffering from miliary brain metastasis from BRAF positive malignant melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Liver Center Munich, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. florian.reiter@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Florian P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. clemens.giessen-jung@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giessen-Jung
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, University of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 23, D-81377, Munich, Germany. mario.dorostkar@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Mario M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dorostkar
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Radiology, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. birgit.ertl-wagner@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ertl-Wagner
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Liver Center Munich, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. gerald.denk@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Gerald U
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Denk
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. suzette.heck@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Suzette
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heck
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. christina.rieger@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Christina T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. hans.pfister@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Hans W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Liver Center Munich, University of Munich, Grosshadern Campus, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich, Germany. mark.opdenwinkel@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: op den Winkel
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008545:Melanoma / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*