Abstract. Meningioma accounts for ~25% of all primary intracranial neoplasms and the incidence increases with age. Prvios population-based studies demonstrated that the annual incidence of intracranial meningiomas was 1.2-3.1/100,000 population. In particular, the incidence of this disease among the elderly is high. Recently, increased life expectancy and greater use of diagnostic radiological imaging led to an increased incidence in the diagnosis of intracranial meningiomas, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, in the elderly. Thus, neurosurgeons may be increasingly confronted with the management of intracranial meningiomas in the elderly. In practice, it is often difficult for physicians to determine whether traditional surgical resection is the optimal management strategy for intracranial meningiomas in the elderly. However, reported clinical studies about the outcome of surgical resection of intracranial meningiomas in the elderly are limited. Increased risk of mortality and morbidity associated with surgical treatment for intracranial meningiomas in the elderly compared with younger patients have been controversial. In the present study, the clinical features of intracranial meningiomas in 70 consecutive intracranial meningioma patients that underwent surgical treatment at the affiliated hospital of University of Occupational and Environmental Health between 2007 and 2013 were assessed. In addition, patient selection and surgical management of intracranial meningioma in elderly patients was discussed. Preoperative factors, including symptoms, tumor location, tumor size, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score and American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score, and postoperative factors, including pathological diagnosis, tumor proliferation index (Ki-67), resection rate (Simpson grade), length of hospital stay and discharge destination were retrospectively analyzed in patients aged ≥75 years (n=16; elderly group) and <75 years (n=54; younger group). Outcomes were assessed 6 months after surgery. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that tumor resection rate (Simpson grade III-V) was an important predictor of surgical complications (odds ratio, 5.662; 95% confidence interval, 1.323-24.236; P= 0.0194). Perioperative morbidity was not correlated with age (>75 years), tumor location, tumor size, KPS score or ASA score. Thus, the present study indicated that age is not associated with surgical outcome in elderly meningioma patients. Regardless of patient age, the decision to perform surgical resection should be made on an individual basis wherein tumor characteristics and the general health of the patient are considered.

A 72-year-old man presented with an extremely rare case of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) of the dura and scalp existing independently without intervening cranial vault invasion. The patient presented with an indolent mass lesion at the left temporal parietal scalp. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography revealed a solid homogeneously enhanced mass in the left temporoparietal scalp, and an extra-axial intracranial mass that existed just below the scalp without intervening skull invasion. The patient underwent gross total resection of these lesions via a left frontotemporoparietal craniotomy. Histological examination of the masses revealed DLBCLs. The patient received whole-brain radiation therapy, and subsequent chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisolone. He was discharged without neurological deficit. The present case of DLBCLs in the scalp and dura without intervening skull bone invasion indicates that malignant lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of scalp and dural tumors without intervening skull bone invasion.

No abstract

Nilotinib, a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is considered as one of the most effective drugs for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); however, the use of nilotinib has been reported to be associated with vascular adverse events, such as peripheral arterial occlusive disease and ischemic heart disease. Moreover, there are few reports on cerebral vascular disease associated with nilotinib use. We herein describe the case of a 55-year-old male patient with CML, who presented with cerebral infarction and severe cerebrovascular stenosis that developed during nilotinib treatment. The patient was diagnosed with cerebral infarction and severe stenosis of the intracranial arteries associated with nilotinib use. Vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (VW-MRI) revealed diffuse concentric thickening of the vessel wall, unlike ordinary patterns of atherosclerosis. The patient underwent direct revascularization (superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass) and was successfully treated without recurrence. Based on this rare case, VW-MRI may be used to detect the morphological changes of the intracranial arteries that are associated with nilotinib use. Moreover, surgical revascularization may improve the prognosis of nilotinib-associated cerebrovascular diseases, such as severe stenosis or occlusion of the main trunk of the cerebral arteries, that cause brain ischemia.

A 61-year-old woman presented with a very rare case of spontaneous bleeding from an orbital cavernous hemangioma manifesting as sudden onset of ophthalmic pain, proptosis, diplopia, and nausea. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT) revealed an intraconal, well-demarcated cystic mass with hemorrhage. The mass was immediately removed through a transcranial approach. Histological examination showed that the mass was a cavernous hemangioma. Ophthalmopathy was resolved by surgery. Orbital cavernous hemangioma is very common in adults, but spontaneous bleeding is extremely rare relative to intracranial cavernous hemangiomas. This rare case emphasizes the importance of careful neuroimaging evaluation with MR imaging and CT for diagnosing orbital cavernous hemangioma associated with spontaneous bleeding.