Aspergillus pachymeningitis mimicking nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES

We report a case of otogenic fungal pachymeningitis in a diabetic patient who presented with multiple cranial nerve palsies and nasopharyngeal swelling.

METHODS

We present a case report, we describe the investigations, management and clinical course of fungal pachymeningitis, and we present a review of the world literature on fungal and non-fungal pachymeningitis.

RESULTS

To our knowledge, this is the first report of fungal pachymeningitis with magnetic resonance imaging features suggestive of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. It is also the first reported case with aspergillus cultured from both a dural biopsy and the ear canal.

CONCLUSION

Fungal pachymeningitis is a rare condition which may present to otorhinolaryngologists. Its clinical and radiological findings can be confused with those of nasopharyngeal carcinoma; fungal pachymeningitis should thus be included in the differential diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.