MENINGIOANGIOMATOSIS OF THE BRAIN-STEM - CASE-REPORT

The case is reported of meningioangiomatosis of the brain stem in a 3 1/2-year-old girl who suffered from vomiting, left facial weakness, di fficulty in swallowing, and ataxia. This is believed to be the first r eported case of meningioangiomatosis in the brain stem. Computerized t omography showed an intensely enhancing hyperdense mass in the left re stiform body. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the lesion was isointense to gray matter on the T-1-weighted image and hypointense on the T-2-weighted image, with a surrounding zone of high T-2 signal an d intense enhancement. Angiography was normal. Surgical exploration de monstrated an intramedullary firm mass that was partially resected. Hi stologically, the mass consisted of a low-grade lesion of meningeal or igin with spindle cells in a whorling pattern that were occasionally f ocused around small vessels. On 2-year follow-up imaging, the lesion r emains unchanged in size. Certain particularities of this lesion are d iscussed in the context of the literature.