Spinal neurinomas and meningiomas in children

Abstract

The literature on spinal neurinomas (N) and meningiomas (M) in children is reviewed, and five personal cases of N are added (one in the context of Recklinghausen's disease). The cases of N totalled 151, and of M 69, accounting respectively for 10.9% and 4.3% of childhood spinal tumours and 2.6% and 1.3% of spinal N and M of all ages. Sixty-one cases of N (16 in the context of Recklinghausen's disease) and 26 cases of M (5 in the context of Recklinghausen's disease) are analyzed in detail. N occurs chiefly between ages 9 and 15 years, the sex ratio is 3 : 2, all levels of the spinal canal are equally affected, and extradural N or conditions with an extradural component (48%) are more frequent than in adults (26.9%). M occurs chiefly between 12 and 15 years, the sex ratio is 3 : 2, the prevalence of the thoracic segment (47.8%) is less marked than in adults (81%), and the frequency of the extradural site (10.6%) is close to the sum of the extradural and dumb-bell lesions in adults (11.1%). In children vertebral signs, i.e., spinal rigidity and tenderness, and spasm of paravertebral muscles, are more intense, earlier, and more frequent than in adults, and the clinical history is shorter. The chances of recovery from neurological deficits are greater, as are those of malignant degeneration.

Meningioma in the pediatric population

“…In our series, 83 % of intracranial meningiomas were supratentorial, similar to other reported series [6,4,9]. As in adults, pediatric spinal meningiomas are typically intradural, extramedullary, and thoracic (48% in children, 81% in adults), but a wider distribution along the spinal axis is seen in children [4,26,27]. Intraorbital meningiomas may also occur [6,4].…”

“…Infratentorial meningiomas may present with difficulties with balance and coordination. With spinal meningiomas, presentation usually begins with pain and then is followed by motor or sensory deficit [4,26,27]. A child with proptosis may harbor an intraorbital meningioma.…”

Intradural Spinal Meningioma in a 20-Month-Old Female

“…Spinal meningiomas in children are very uncommon, comprising only 4.3% of all intraspinal tumors according to Fortuna et al [2]. There have been only a few reports of spinal meningiomas in early childhood [7,8,9,10,11,12,13].…”

“…Meningiomas in children account for less than 2% of all meningiomas [1], and their location in the spinal region is even less common, comprising only 4.3% of all intraspinal tumors [2]. In general, spinal meningiomas affect mostly females from 40 to 70 years of age and are most prevalent in the thoracic region, followed by the cervical and lumbar regions [3,4,5,6].…”

Clear-Cell Meningioma in a 22-Month-Old Male

“…They are rare in children, representing 2% of all central nervous system tumors according to several series [3, 4, 5, 6]and 4% of all spinal tumors occurring in children [7]. …”