Multiple cranial neuropathies secondary to adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid gland

Abstract

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common malignant salivary gland tumor, accounting for 7.5% to 10% of tumors. It is characterized by a slow growth rate and perineural invasion, and only a few treatment options are available for patients with advanced disease. 1 Parotid primary ACC often invades the facial nerve, causing facial paralysis. There are a few reports of multiple cranial neuropathies in ACC patients, but there are no reports to our knowledge demonstrating detection of the invasion pathway using imaging. Here, we report a case in which the progression pathway from ACC to the cranial nerves was evaluated based on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).