Non-anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma with neuroradiological evidences of leptomeningeal dissemination.
METHODS
A case of a non-anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) presenting with leptomeningeal dissemination (LMD) affecting a 9-year-old girl is presented.


CONCLUSIONS
The neoplasia in this young girl had the otherwise classical clinical features of PXA: the relatively advanced paediatric age of the patient, the seizures as presenting sign; the primary site in the temporal lobe; and the MRI findings of the partially solid and cystic superficial lesion. Only the tumour involvement of the chiasma and the infundibulus was a relatively unusual finding. In a 5-year period, the tumour underwent malignant transformation, bringing the child to death because of the primary tumour progression. However, the leptomeningeal deposits remained unchanged throughout the clinical course.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first case of a non-anaplastic PXA presenting with disseminated disease. Thus, it was thought important to describe this case in order to add further information regarding the spectrum of the presenting clinical features of this rare neoplasm and the phenomenon of LMD of non-malignant glioma.
Passone
Eva
E
Paediatric Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
Pizzolitto
Stefano
S
D'Agostini
Serena
S
Skrap
Miran
M
Gardiman
Maria Paola
MP
Nocerino
Agostino
A
Scarzello
Giovanni
G
Perilongo
Giorgio
G
D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000209:etiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen