title: Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the sphenoid sinus mimicking optic neuritis presenting with intermittent visual loss in an adult.
abstract: A 23-year-old male with intermittent visual loss in his left eye for 4 months was originally treated as optic neuritis elsewhere. Upon presentation to our hospital (Beijing Tongren Hospital), his left eye visual acuity was reduced to hand motion at face. The left eye ocular motility was limited in upgaze, downgaze, adduction, and abduction. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed lesions in the sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses, orbital apex and carvernous sinus invading adjacent extraocular muscles. Endoscopic ethmo-sphenoidostomy and debulking surgery was performed and histopathology of the specimen demonstrated alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite having treatment with a combination of orbital radiation therapy and systemic chemotherapy, the patient developed generalized metastasis with cachexia and the left eye became no light perception due to optic atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Laboratory.
authors.forename: Wendong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Laboratory.
authors.forename: Libin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology.
authors.forename: Yulan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing.
authors.forename: Bentao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Timothy Yy
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lai
keywords: alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma; misdiagnosis; optic neuritis; sphenoid sinus