Cerebellar papillary meningioma in a 3-year-old boy: the usefulness of electron microscopy for diagnosis

Am J Surg Pathol. 1999 Jul;23(7):844-8. doi: 10.1097/00000478-199907000-00014.

Abstract

We report one case of papillary meningioma located in the posterior fossa in a 3-year-old boy. Despite a gross total resection, a major recurrence occurred 6 months later that was operated on. Eight months later, another recurrence was observed with intracranial metastases and dissemination throughout the cerebrospinal fluid. The tumor had a papillary architecture more obvious in the recurrence. Areas of necrosis were numerous. Tumor cells had large clear atypical nuclei. Many mitotic figures were seen and Ki-67 labeling index was high. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for vimentin and polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule only, ruling out a diagnosis of ependymoma or medulloblastoma. Diagnosis of meningioma was done by electron microscopy, which showed interdigitating cytoplasmic processes and cell junctions. Cytogenetic study revealed unusual karyotypic abnormalities.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / ultrastructure*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chromosome Aberrations
  • Chromosome Disorders
  • Cranial Fossa, Posterior / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Karyotyping
  • Ki-67 Antigen / metabolism
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Meningioma / diagnosis*
  • Meningioma / metabolism
  • Meningioma / pathology
  • Meningioma / ultrastructure*
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1*
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism
  • Sialic Acids / metabolism
  • Vimentin / metabolism

Substances

  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Sialic Acids
  • Vimentin
  • polysialyl neural cell adhesion molecule