Low grade astrocytoma causing dural and calvarial destruction.

This case report describes destruction of overlying dura and calvaria by a low grade glioma in the absence of prior surgery or radiation. Bone and dural involving is known to occur with some malignant tumors, but due to low grade glioma is very rare. The initial radiologic examinations demonstrated a heterogeneous mass in the right parietal region with both extra- and intra-axial components. No inward displacement of the adjacent dura was observed. Initial consideration for extra-axial lesions includes metastatic lesions, lymphoma, or an aggressive meningioma. The pathologic findings demonstrated a glial cell origin. To our knowledge, destruction of the dura and calvaria from a low-grade glioma, without prior surgery or radiation, has not been well documented previously. Calvarial destruction with associated intra-axial lesions on imaging may prompt the diagnosis of extra-axial tumors such as aggressive meningiomas, metastasis and lymphoma. We report an unusual case of parietal low-grade glioma with destruction of the dura and calvaria in the absence of prior surgery or radiation. The erosion probably is due to pressure atrophy of the dura and inner table and thinning of the diploe. The mechanism of skull erosion in these superficial gliomas relates to their chronic mass effect (8). The mass displaces the CSF, which normally cushions and diffuses brain pulsations over a wide area. Once the CSF space is effaced, the brain may directly transmit these pulsations to the inner table. Over time, this localized elevated pressure may erode the cortical bone of the inner table.

Lumbar intraforaminal synovial cyst in young adulthood: case report and review of the literature.

Study Design Case report. Objective Lumbar juxtafacet cysts (synovial and ganglion cysts) are a rare cause of low back and radicular leg pain. Most patients with lumbar cysts are in their sixth decade of life and have significant facet joint and disk degeneration. Lumbar synovial cysts (LSCs) are extremely rare in adolescence and young adulthood, and to our knowledge, only two pediatric cases of LSC have been reported in the literature. We aim to prove the existence of LSC in adolescent patients as a real entity that causes low back and radicular complaints and to discuss the possibility of traumatic injury as a pathogenic cause of LSC formation in adolescence. A case of an 18-year old patient with LSC is presented. We report the clinical presentation, management, outcome, and review of the literature, focusing on issues that remain debatable. Methods The case is presented together with its clinical course, the diagnostic techniques, the surgical findings, histologic results, and the treatment outcome. Results After surgical treatment, the patient's complaints were alleviated and almost no complaints were registered during the next 6 months' follow-up. Conclusions LSCs are extremely rare in adolescence, but they could be considered in the differential diagnosis in adolescent patients with low back pain and radiculopathy. Surgical removal of LSC could be considered as a treatment option to provide immediate and safe symptomatic relief.