title: Bilateral symmetrical enhancing brainstem lesions: an unusual presentation of primary CNS lymphoma.
abstract: We report a patient with a progressive brainstem syndrome, who on magnetic resonance imaging had large bilateral, symmetrical, contrast-enhancing, infratentorial space-occupying lesions. Biopsy of one of the lesions revealed this unusual appearance to be due to a primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma of B-cell type. Symmetry of lesions may be a clue to the diagnosis, perhaps reflecting the mechanism by which CNS lymphomas spread.
authors.affiliation: National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Larner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Arrigo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scaravilli
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male