MALIGNANT EXOPHTHALMOS

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Abstract
Skeletal and extra-ocular muscles were studied for fat and mucopolysaccharide content in 11 patients with malignant progressive exophthalmos, 21 with non-malignant exophthalmic hyperthyroidism, 7 patients with myxedema and 25 patients without known thyroid or pituitary disease. No histochemically demonstrable muscle fat was found. In skeletal muscles of patients with malignant exophthalmos, accumulations of hyaluronidase-sensitive mucopolysaccharide was found between muscle fibers, and investing the sarcolemma. On cross section, the material appeared like "half-moons;" on longitudinal section, the material was deposited as a spindle-shaped mass between sarcolemma and muscle mass. Serum thyrotropin was elevated in 9 of 10 cases with progressive exophthalmos, as compared with the concns. found in 6 normal controls. Thyroid-stimulating hormone was studied by the stasis-tadpole method.