Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A Saraswathy.
Primary cranial Ewing's sarcoma is an exceptionally rare lesion and only eleven cases have so far been reported. In this report we describe a case of primary Ewing's sarcoma arising from the floor of middle cranial fossa. Salient clinical, neuroradiological and light microscopic features in this case are described. A brief review of earlier published cases of primary cranial Ewing's sarcoma are also presented.
Papillary meningioma is a rare but a well recognised histological variant of meningioma. Only 52 cases are reported in literature till 1991. This report highlights the clinical and histopathological features of papillary meningioma in six patients. Significance of making an accurate histopathological diagnosis and its relevance in the management of patients with papillary meningioma is emphasised.
In this study, clinical and histopathological features of primary lymphomas of the brain have been described in eight patients. The primary nature of lymphoma in these patients was confirmed by extensive clinical as well as radiological investigations and supported by a detailed histopathological examination. Computerised tomography (CT) scan showed multiple intra-cerebral lesion in two patients and in six patients the lesion was solitary. Although primary lymphoma of the brain carries poor prognosis, it is essential that these tumours should be accurately diagnosed as well as should be distinguished from secondary tumours.
Histopathologic features in two intramedullary schwann-cell tumours, closely resembled with those of fibrillary astrocytoma and could not be differentiated from each other by the conventional histochemical stains. However application of tumour markers-Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S-100 protein were found to be useful in differentiating these two tumours and thus helped in making an accurate histopathological diagnosis in these two patients.
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres were used as an embolic agent to reduce the vascularity in eight patients with intracranial vascular tumours. Post embolization angiograms showed 30-60% reduction in the vascularity of the tumours. No patient developed any neurological complications in the immediate post-embolization period. These eight patients subsequently underwent surgery for the removal of their tumours. During surgery there was minimal blood loss and a good plane of cleavage was obtained between the tumour and the adjacent brain. The surgical specimens were examined histopathologically for the effects of PMMA. PMMA microspheres, in contrast to other cyanoacrylates--isobutyl-2-cyanoacrylate (IBCA)--did not elicit either inflammatory reaction or mural angionecrosis within the wall of the embolised vessels. The histopathological studies suggest that PMMA microspheres are an inert material and can be used as an adjunct in the management of intracranial vascular tumours.
Two cases of intracranial cystic meningiomas are reported. Neuroradiological and intraoperative diagnoses in both cases were cystic astrocytoma. However routine biopsy during the intra-operative period and an accurate interpretation during frozen-section will establish the diagnosis of cystic meningioma. Complete excision of cyst wall of the meningioma during the surgery will minimise the incidence of recurrence of these benign tumours.