title: Hemorrhagic necrotic schwannoma presenting as purulent meningitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intracranial schwannoma involving the XIIth cranial nerve is rare. We report an unusual clinical presentation and pathological verification of a schwannoma, which had become haemorrhagic and necrotic, simulating acute purulent meningitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review of intracranial tumors presenting as acute purulent meningitis, with emphasis on schwannomas, was undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Few cases of hypoglossal schwannoma have been reported; the association with purulent meningitis has not been previously documented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients presenting with sterile purulent meningitis, a necrotic tumor should be considered as a possible etiology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Onyiuke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009336:Necrosis; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome