ISSN:
1573-7373
Keywords:
neurofibromatosis
;
spinal cord astrocytoma
;
leptomeningeal dissemination
;
GFAP
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract A 5-year-old child with typical clinical features of neurofibromatosis presented with a history of suspected basilar meningitis and CT findings of enlarged optic nerves and an expanding left cavernous sinus mass. CSF cytologies and meningeal biopsy were unremarkable. At craniotomy, a mass confluent with the left trigeminal nerve was resected which had histologic characteristics of a nerve sheath tumor but was GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) stain positive. Postmortem examination, 1 month following surgical resection, demonstrated a clinically unsuspected primary thoracic spinal cord astrocytoma with dissemination throughout the subarachnoid space, invasion of the trigeminal nerve and encasement of other cranio-spinal nerves. This unusual case emphasizes the occurrence of leptomeningeal spread in a clinically silent spinal cord glioma and the diagnostic value of immunohistochemistry.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00165377
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