Calvarial metastasis of a paraganglioma. Case report and review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Metastasis of a paraganglioma (PRG) to the calvarium is very rare. In this paper, the case of a 25-year-old male with metastasis of a PRG to the frontoparietal bone is described.


METHODS
The patient presented with bulging on the left side of the head, headache, and weight loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass lesion in the left frontoparietal region that had destroyed both the external and internal table of the bone, extending under the skin and above the dura mater. After a frontoparietal craniotomy the tumor was removed totally. Histopathological examination revealed the "Zellballen," which are pathognomonic for a PRG. Systemic examination and radiological investigation revealed no primary tumor source.


CONCLUSIONS
Metastasis of a PRG to the calvarium is possible; radical removal of the tumor will provide a cure.
Gezen
F
F
Department of Neurosurgery, The Abant Izzet Baysal University, Düzce School of Medicine, Turkey.
Ziyal
I M
IM
Baysefer
A
A
Kahraman
S
S
Ciklatekerlioglu
O
O
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery