Pleural metastatic disease from glioblastoma multiforme.
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a malignant primary brain neoplasm with poor survival. Extracranial GBM dissemination is very uncommon, but is increasingly being recognized. The imaging features of metastatic pleural GBM are not specific for a primary central nervous system neoplasm. In this case, extracranial GBM metastases presented as circumscribed posterobasal pleural nodules. Diagnoses may be established with percutaneous or thoracoscopic biopsy. Radiologists should be familiar with the possibility of the extracranial spread of GBM because as therapeutic improvements provide increased local control of the primary tumor, improving patient survival, extracranial spread of disease will be increasingly encountered on thoracoabdominal imaging studies.
Gotway
Michael B
MB
Department of Radiology and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. mgotway@esmil.net
Conomos
Paul J
PJ
Bremner
Ross M
RM
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted