Tumefactive fibroinflammatory lesion of the neck with progressive invasion of the meninges, skull base, orbit, and brain.

Tumefactive fibroinflammatory lesions of the head and neck are rare. CNS in involvement has not been reported. We present a histologically proven case of a tumefactive fibroinflammatory lesion that originated in the left side of the neck and progressed over 2 years to involve the meninges, the cavernous sinuses, the right temporal lobe, and the right orbit. The lesion caused destruction of the skull base and a subdural hematoma. The relationship of the present lesion to idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis and Tolosa-Hunt syndrome is discussed.