title: Cerebellar mass as a location of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
abstract: A 22-year-old man with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was referred to our observation for headache, cervical pain and sopor. A computed tomography study revealed triventricular obstructive hydrocephalus due to a left cerebellar hyperdense mass impinging on the fourth ventricle. A magnetic resonance study demonstrated an area of hyperintensity on T2-weighted images, hypointensity on T1, restricted diffusivity and contrast enhancement involving the left hemispherical cerebellar cortex and the vermis and causing cerebellar herniation. After surgical excision of the lesion, histological examination revealed an infiltrate of lymphoblastic leukaemia with B cells. Leukaemic intracranial masses are rare. Our report describes a case presenting a cerebellar mass of leukaemic tissue characterized by high cellularity and low apparent diffusion coefficient value comparable to acute ischaemia. Therefore leukaemic intracranial mass has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of cerebellar masses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa; Pisa, Italy - mircocosottini@libero.it.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Desideri
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa; Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canovetti
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Unit, Pisa University Hospital; Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pesaresi
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa; Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caniglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Pisa University Hospital; Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciancia
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa; Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartolozzi
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology Unit, Pisa University Hospital; Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puglioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa; Pisa, Italy - Neuroradiology Unit, Pisa University Hospital; Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Mirco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosottini
mesh_terms: D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: MRI; acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; apparent diffusion coefficient; cerebellar mass