1/9. Cystic lumbar nerve sheath tumours: MRI features in five patients.Intraspinal cystic lumbar nerve sheath tumours constitute an uncommon subset of tumours with distinct clinico-biological behaviour. The MRI findings in five such cases are presented. Four of these were cystic schwannomas and one was a cystic neurofibroma. The pathology, MRI findings and the differential diagnosis of these rare tumours are analysed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/9. Multiple synchronous spinal extra-osseous intradural chordomas: is it a distinct entity?Chordomas are most commonly of extradural origin and are associated with bone destruction. Extra-osseous intradural chordomas are extremely rare and most of the cases described are located near the clivus. We report an extremely rare case of multiple extra-osseous intraspinal chordomas in a 36-year-old male patient with autopsy findings. This case highlights that behaviour of spinal intradural chordomas is not universally low grade, but is variable and aggressive.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/9. Tissue culture, electron microscopic and enzyme histochemical investigations of extraadrenal paragangliomas.light and electromicroscopical as well as histochemical investigations were performed on three cases of extraadrenal paragangliomas. They were localized in the carotid body, tympanicum and cauda equina region. Tissue of two cases was cultivated in vitro in nutrient medium TCM 199. The tumours were classified as paragangliomas of the paraganglionic type with typical cell clusters, of the adenomatous and angiomatous type. The enzyme histochemistry showed a very high dehydrogenase activity. Ultrastructurally numerous typical osmiophilic granules could be observed in the cytoplasm of the tumour cells. In tissue culture only a minimal cellular proliferative activity could be detected. The few proliferating cell colonies showed mostly characteristics of epithelial tissue and sometimes a similar behaviour to cells of a ganglioneuroblastoma. The minimal proliferative activity in vitro is in good agreement with the proliferative behaviour of the extraadrenal paragangliomas in vivo.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/9. Metastases from carcinoma of the breast involving the central nervous system.A general discussion is made of the incidence, biological behaviour, diagnosis and management of metastatic disease involving the central nervous system secondary to malignant disease of the breast. Illustrative case histories selected from patients treated for carcinoma of the breast in the period 1978-88 are included.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/9. bone marrow necrosis and extramedullary myeloid tumour necrosis in aggressive chronic myeloid leukaemia.A patient with chronic myeloid leukaemia who developed widespread bone marrow necrosis associated wtih evolution of a new cell clone and with aggressive behaviour of the myeloid tumour in extramedullary sites is described. Cell necrosis in extramedullary tumours was also present; the sharp demarcation between zones of necrotic cells and intact cells and the histological evidence of vascular invasion by tumour cells suggest a vascular basis for cell necrosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/9. ganglioglioma of the spinal cord. A case with a long survival.A case of ganglioglioma or neuroastrocytoma of the spinal cord in a 78-year-old man is reported. diagnosis was based on the histological identification of the neoplastic cells and on the study of the architecture of the tumour. The presence of cellular anaplasia, sometimes of marked degree, and of small nests of infiltration suggested an initial malignant behaviour regarding both cellular types. A survey of the five reported cases of spinal ganglioglioma is presented.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/9. cauda equina paraganglioma with subsequent intracranial and intraspinal metastases.A case of cauda equina paraganglioma is described; subsequent intracranial and intraspinal metastases occurred after partial resection and adjunctive radiotherapy. cerebrospinal fluid dissemination is a rare complication of spinal paragangliomas. Factors predictive of this unusual biological behaviour are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/9. prolactin-secreting carcinoma of the pituitary: clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of a case with intracranial and intraspinal dissemination.A 32-year-old female patient with a primary adenohypophyseal neoplasm that rapidly progressed to a fatal outcome is presented. The time interval between her admission to the hospital and her death was 3 months. Despite dopamine agonist therapy, local invasion as well as frontal and spinal cord metastases at Th 10-12 region developed, and four surgical resections were performed. The serum prolactin levels were high. Both the primary pituitary tumour and all the metastatic tumours had the same histological findings and immunohistochemical reactions. Each was composed of pleomorphic chromophobic cells with enlarged nuclei. Mitoses and necroses were frequent. Immunostains revealed prolactin in the tumour cells. A literature review revealed that in most of the pituitary carcinomas as in our case hyperprolactinaemia did not respond to medical therapy and the histopathological appearance of the tumour has not correlated with the aggressive behaviour of the tumour. It may therefore be considered that at least some of the cases with metastases in prolactin secreting pituitary carcinomas could be the result of hyperprolactinaemia itself.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/9. Intramedullary thoracic cord metastasis managed effectively without surgery.Spinal intramedullary metastases present with rapidly progressing neurological deficits and have an extremely poor prognosis. Prompt investigation and management are required. This case history illustrates that radiotherapy and steroids can be effective in returning motor function. The behaviour of the primary tumour and the stage of the disease influence whether surgery is appropriate.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |