TUMORAL FORM OF CEREBRAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS-MANSONI - A REPORT OF 4 CASES AND A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

We describe four cases of the tumoral form of cerebral schistosomiasis mansoni. The patients had symptoms of increased intracranial pressure and focal neurological signs that varied according to the site of the lesion. Computerized tomography showed a hyperdense, enhancing lesion located in the cerebellum (2 patients), frontal lobe and thalamus (1 patient), and temporal subdural region (1 patient), with associated ma ss effects. The lesion was resected in three patients and a stereotact ic biopsy was performed in one. Histopathologic specimens of all four patients revealed multiple schistosomal granulomas in various evolutiv e phases. Two of these patients differ from previously described cases ; one because of the subdural location of the lesion, mimicking a meni ngioma, and the other one because two lesions were present.