Primary cerebellar paraganglioma: a pediatric case report and review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Only four cases of primary intracerebellar paragangliomas have been reported in the literature to date. Because of its rarity, primary intracerebellar paraganglioma still presents a diagnostic challenge for both radiologists and neurosurgeons, and the optimal therapeutic modality is still debatable for its hypervascularity and location.


METHODS
We report a 16-year-old boy with pathology-proven primary intracerebellar paraganglioma who presented with dull headache, dizziness, and gait disturbance, and underwent gross total resection. Further, we review all reported cases of primary intracerebellar paraganglioma in the English literature and discuss its clinical profile, neuroradiological features, and treatment modalities.


RESULTS
His symptoms improved following tumor removal without radiotherapy, and postoperative neuroimaging thirteenth months after surgery showed no recurrence. In the literature, all four patients were stable in the follow-up period including three with complete resection and one with partial resection plus adjuvant radiotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical resection is the treatment modality most often used for primary intracerebellar paraganglioma; radiation therapy may be used when there is residual tumor or recurrence. Angiography may help to clarify the vessel architecture for reducing intraoperative bleeding when primary intracerebellar paraganglioma is considered.
Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Zhao-Jian
ZJ
Li
Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Xiao-Lei
XL
Lan
Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Feng-Yun
FY
Hao
Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Wei-Cheng
WC
Yao
Department of Neurosurgery, the People's Hospital of Jiaonan City, Qingdao, China.
Ming-Yang
MY
Wang
Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Xiao-Dong
XD
Chen
Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Yong-Li
YL
Bo
Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Jian-Peng
JP
Wang
Physics Scientific College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Hong-Di
HD
Zhang
Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China. Electronic address: lizhaojian0532@163.com.
Peng
P
Sun
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D010784:Photomicrography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
cerebellum; hypervascular tumor; intracranial paraganglioma; pediatrics