What is meningeal carcinomatosis?
Listen to pronunciation. (meh-NIN-jee-ul KAR-sih-NOH-muh-TOH-sis) A serious problem that may occur in cancer in which cancer cells spread from the original (primary) tumor to the meninges (thin layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord).
What is meningeal disease?
Listen to pronunciation. (meh-NIN-jee-ul SIN-drome) A condition marked by headache, fever, and a stiff neck, which is caused when the meninges (three thin layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord) become irritated.
How is Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis diagnosed?
The diagnosis is most commonly made by lumbar puncture although the CSF cytology is persistently negative in about 10% of patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. Radiologic studies may reveal subarachnoid masses, diffuse contrast enhancement of the meninges, or hydrocephalus without a mass lesion.
Where do carcinomatous meningitis cells come from?
Leptomeningeal metastases, also known as carcinomatous meningitis, refers to the spread of malignant cells through the CSF space. These cells can originate from primary CNS tumors (e.g. drop metastases ), as well as from distant tumors that have metastasized via hematogenous spread.
How is a meningioma classified as a CNS tumor?
Grading of meningiomas follows the WHO classification for CNS tumors and includes both usual histological features (e.g. mitotic index) as well as a number of histological subtypes, some of which have been associated with more aggressive behavior 7,11,23:
How is MR spectroscopy used to diagnose meningiomas?
MR spectroscopy: usually does not play a significant role in diagnosis but can help distinguish meningiomas from mimics. Features include: More than half of the meningiomas demonstrate a variable amount of vasogenic edema in adjacent brain parenchyma 24.
What does a meningioma look like on a MRI?
Typical meningiomas appear as dural-based masses isointense to grey matter on both T1 and T2 weighted imaging enhancing vividly on both MRI and CT. Some of the variants as mentioned earlier can, however, vary dramatically in their imaging appearance.