Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Brief Clinical Note

Gliomatosis cerebri with multifocal progressive lesions on MRI

Ken Sakushima, M.D., M.P.H.1), Moemi Yashima-Yamada, M.D.1), Kanako Kubota, M.D., Ph.D.2), Yutaka Sawamura, M.D., Ph.D.3), Ichiro Yabe, M.D., Ph.D.1) and Hidenao Sasaki, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1)Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine
2)Department of Surgical Pathology, Hokkaido University Hospital
3)Department of Neurosurgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine

A 77-year-old woman with cognitive impairment and multifocal progressive lesions on brain MRI was admitted to our hospital. Analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid showed no evidence of infection, autoimmune disease, or metabolic abnormalities. Histological examination of biopsied tissue from a lesion in the right frontal lobe revealed an abnormally increased glial cell density with enlarged nuclei and a high MIB-1 index. These pathological findings coupled with her progressive clinical history indicated a diagnosis of gliomatosis cerebri. General characteristics of gliomatosis cerebri include diffuse infiltrative lesions in neuroimaging with or without mass effect. However, the present case showed unusual multifocal manifestations in brain MRI. Therefore, histopathological examination must be taken into account for a proper diagnosis.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (624K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 51: 145|148, 2011)
key words: gliomatosis cerebri, multifocal progression, MRI

(Received: 20-Jul-10)