title: Primary intramedullary spinal cord primitive neuroectodermal tumor with intracranial seeding in an infant.
abstract: Primary spinal cord primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is a rare entity. In all 13 cases have been reported in the literature, including 3 with intracranial seeding. A 3-month-old girl with involvement of the spinal cord below the mid-thoracic level is described. The brain MRI revealed findings indicative of seeding along the intracranial subarachnoid space. Biopsy, duraplasty and removal of laminotomy flap were done. In spite of a good response to the first cycle of postoperative "8-drugs-in-a-day' chemotherapy, further treatment was refused. She died 21 days after the onset of leg weakness, which reveals the rapid progression of untreated cases. To our knowledge, this is the first case of spinal cord PNET with parenchymal involvement that has been described in an infant.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Korea.
authors.forename: O K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D018242:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery