title: [Multiple gliomas. Illustrative cases of 4 different presentations].
abstract: Multiple gliomas are uncommon and may be classified according to: a) the time of presentation in early (at diagnosis) or late (during treatment); b) the characteristics of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) in multifocal (with evidence of spread) and multicentric (without evidence of spread). From 212 patients with histopathologic diagnosis of glioma evaluated from March/90 to September/99, 15 (7%) had multiple lesions. We describe 4 patients: early multicentric, late multicentric, early multifocal and late multifocal, with emphasis on characteristics of CT/MRI and possible differential diagnosis. The differential diagnosis of multiple lesions in the central nervous system includes mainly infectious/inflammatory diseases and metastasis, however multiple gliomas should always be considered, even in patients with known systemic cancer, as described by others. Considering that CT/MRI features are not definite, the diagnosis should always be confirmed by histopathologic examination.
authors.affiliation: Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP. clelia@unisys.com.br
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Malheiros
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdala
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Stávale
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gabbai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D005910:Glioma / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed