Orbital fine-needle aspiration biopsy in patients with cavernous sinus syndrome.

The authors report their experience with five patients presenting with cavernous sinus syndrome who, on computerized tomography (CT) studies, were shown to have a lesion simultaneously involving the cavernous sinus and a portion of the orbit. All patients underwent an orbital fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). A specific cytological diagnosis was made in three of the five patients. To obtain pathological diagnosis in the case of cavernous sinus tumors, invasive diagnostic procedures are sometimes necessary. Extension of lesions from the cavernous sinus into adjacent areas should be carefully looked for on CT scans. In the specific subset of patients with cavernous sinus tumors and simultaneous orbital involvement, orbital FNAB may provide a simple alternative to more invasive procedures. The limitations of the procedure are discussed.