Multiple brain infarcts and Balint syndrome in aortic arch angiosarcoma

J Neuroophthalmol. 2006 Jun;26(2):107-12. doi: 10.1097/01.wno.0000223268.56071.c9.

Abstract

A 50-year-old woman presented with subacute cognitive decline, impaired eye movements, and simultanagnosia, components of the Balint syndrome. She had relatively low blood pressure in the left arm and left finger clubbing. Brain imaging identified multiple acute infarcts. Transesophageal echocardiography showed no cardiac abnormalities but demonstrated a thickened aortic wall and an intraluminal aortic arch mass. The surgical specimen revealed angiosarcoma. Of the few reported angiosarcomas involving the aorta, most have been located in the abdominal segment. This is only the second reported case of aortic arch sarcoma presenting with stroke.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agnosia / diagnosis
  • Agnosia / etiology*
  • Aorta, Thoracic*
  • Brain Infarction / diagnosis
  • Brain Infarction / etiology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Hemangiosarcoma / complications*
  • Hemangiosarcoma / diagnosis
  • Hemangiosarcoma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / diagnosis
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / etiology*
  • Syndrome
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vascular Neoplasms / complications*
  • Vascular Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Vascular Neoplasms / surgery