Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) typically has a short median survival of only a few months from diagnosis, with death usually due to thoracic disease. This has led to the belief in the past that mesothelioma rarely has distant metastasis, with cerebral metastasis accounting for only 3%. The multiple cases of brain metastasis from MPM recorded so far were discovered after death at autopsy. This report describes a rare case of known malignant mesothelioma with distant haemorrhagic metastasis to the brain, reviews current literature about its metastatic potential to the brain and discusses prognosis and management. We also review the imaging evaluation in known MPM patients with suspected intracranial involvement and describe typical imaging findings of parenchymal brain metastasis on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Background The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is emerging as an important biomarker of acute physiologic stress in a myriad of medical conditions, and is a confirmed poor prognostic indicator in COVID-19. Objective We sought to describe the role of NLR in predicting poor outcome in COVID-19 patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. Methods We analyzed NLR in COVID-19 patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes enrolled into an international 12-center retrospective study of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, consecutively admitted between March 1, 2020 and May 1, 2020. Increased NLR was defined as ≥7.2. Logistic regression models were generated. Results Incidence of LVO stroke was 38/6698 (.57%). Mean age of patients was 62 years (range 27–87), and mortality rate was 30%. Age, sex, and ethnicity were not predictive of mortality. Elevated NLR and poor vessel recanalization (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) score of 1 or 2a) synergistically predicted poor outcome (likelihood ratio 11.65, p  =  .003). Patients with NLR > 7.2 were 6.8 times more likely to die (OR 6.8, CI95% 1.2–38.6, p  =  .03) and almost 8 times more likely to require prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 7.8, CI95% 1.2–52.4, p  =  .03). In a multivariate analysis, NLR > 7.2 predicted poor outcome even when controlling for the effect of low TICI score on poor outcome (NLR p  =  .043, TICI p  =  .070). Conclusions We show elevated NLR in LVO patients with COVID-19 portends significantly worse outcomes and increased mortality regardless of recanalization status. Severe neuro-inflammatory stress response related to COVID-19 may negate the potential benefits of successful thrombectomy.

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Malignant pleural mesothelioma usually has a median survival of only nine months from diagnosis, with death usually due to thoracic disease. This has led to the belief in the past, that mesothelioma rarely has distant metastasis with cerebral metastasis accounting for only three percent. This is a unique case of known malignant mesothelioma with distant haemorrhagic metastasis to the brain. This article reviews the imaging evaluation of patients with suspected intracranial involvement and malignant pleural mesothelioma and describes typical imaging findings of parenchymal brain metastasis on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The incidence of haemorrhagic brain metastasis and various treatment option have also been briefly discussed.