title: Primary diffuse meningeal melanomatosis: radiologic-pathologic correlation.
abstract: We report a case of primary diffuse meningeal melanomatosis, a rare variant of primary malignant melanoma of the CNS, in a 68-year-old woman. The disease mimicked intracranial hypotension syndrome and was diagnosed only at autopsy (CSF cytologic results were negative). CT revealed hydrocephalus with effacement of the cerebral convexity sulci and abnormal contrast enhancement in the right sylvian and frontoparietal fissures, whereas MR imaging showed diffuse marked dural and leptomeningeal contrast enhancement. In retrospect, these nonspecific findings correlated with the extensive leptomeningeal invasion in the cerebral hemispheres, brain stem and spinal cord. The clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of diffuse meningeal melanomatosis are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit of the Addarii Institute of Oncology, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, the University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria-Giulia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pirini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mascalchi
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: Carlo A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Tassinari
authors.forename: Licciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zanella
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bacchini
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Errico
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.forename: Walter F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Grigioni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008578:Meninges / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed