PRIMARY PULMONARY MENINGIOMA - REPORT OF A CASE AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Extracranial meningiomas are rare outside the head and neck region. We report a case of primary pulmonary meningioma, initially detected as a radiographic incidental finding, occurring in an asymptomatic 45-yea r-old woman. Light microscopic examination of both cytologic and histo logic preparations was typical of a classical meningioma and included such features as intranuclear pseudoinclusions, psammoma bodies, and c ellular whorls. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated tumor cell positivit y for vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen, as is characteristic o f meningioma. Ultrastructural analysis showed interdigitating cell mem branes and desmosomes, with no evidence of basal lamina, neurosecretor y granules, or microvilli. On short-term follow-up, the patient is wel l and has no evidence of a cranial or spinal meningioma. The previous 10 cases reported in the literature had similar characteristics, inclu ding a tendency toward occurrence in middle age to older women, asympt omatic presentation, peripheral lung location, and morphologic feature s. Finally, other conditions in the differential diagnosis and possibl e histogenesis are discussed.