Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the orbit without lacrimal gland involvement and with intracranial extension: A case report

Abstract

We present a 76-year-old female with a 6-year history of decreased vision in the right eye and right-sided facial neuralgia. She had a T1 isointense and T2 isointense enhancing lesion in the right orbit and the middle cranial fossa on MRI examination. Granulomatous disease or meningioma was suspected, however, after removal, the tumor was identified by pathology as adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). The tumor has no radiological and clinical lacrimal grand involvement. ACC shows a slow and indolent growth pattern but is associated with poor long-term outcomes, mainly due to perineural invasion, local control failure, and distant metastasis. This case highlights the importance of a pathologic diagnosis and early intervention in similar presentations.

Keywords

• Adenoid cystic carcinoma
• Orbit
• Lacrimal gland
• Ectopic
• Intracranial
• Magnetic resonance imaging