Supratentorial Pilocytic Astrocytoma Mimicking Convexity Meningioma with Early Anaplastic Transformation: A Case Report

Abstract

Meningiomas and pilocytic astrocytomas are benign intracranial tumors. Pilocytic astrocytomas arises frequently at the posterior fossa in childhood. Meningiomas have several image findings, such as a dural tail sign, bony erosion, and sunburst appearance on angiography. However, pilocytic astrocytomas with these findings have been rarely reported. In this report, we describe a mass with typical image findings of a meningioma, but diagnosed as a supratentorial pilocytic astrocytoma with early anaplastic transformation.

Involvement of the Olfactory Apparatus by Gliomas

“…9 More specifically, supratentorial pilocytic astrocytomas adjacent to the cerebral convexity and anterior clinoid process have been reported to mimic meningiomas. 10,11 To our knowledge, this is the first time that a primary glial neoplasm has been reported to arise from the olfactory tract. Although a case report has previously reported olfactory groove involvement by a large pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, it is unclear whether the lesion originated from the inferior frontal lobe parenchyma or olfactory tracts on the basis of imaging and intraoperative findings.…”

Low-Grade Astrocytoma Causing Dural and Calvarial Destruction

“…To the best of our knowledge, four case reports about low-grade astrocytoma with bone erosion have been made, of which three are representative and well documented. 2 5 6 7 The clinical characteristics (demographics, clinical presentation, calvarial erosion and tumor localization, surgical findings and outcomes) of five cases including our case were gathered on a summarized table ( Table 1 ). Handzhiev et al described a case of parietal low-grade glioma with destruction of the dura and calvaria in the absence of prior surgery or radiation; in his case the tumor mass was found beneath the intact external table in the diploe and the dura under this mass had a ring-shaped perforation.…”