Histological and neuroimaging comparison of SMART syndrome versus focal neuronal gigantism.

Two of the rarest radiation-induced adverse effects are focal neuronal gigantism (FNG) and SMART syndrome (stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy). Both conditions develop years, and sometimes decades, after receipt of therapeutic radiation to the brain. To date, there are only 3 previously reported cases of FNG, all of which describe cortical thickening, enlarged "hypertrophic" neurons, and neuronal cytological changes. No detailed studies exist of histological features of SMART or the comparison between FNG and SMART. In this study, we contrast histological and neuroimaging features of 3 FNG vs. 4 SMART cases, the latter diagnosed by a neuroradiologist, neurooncologist, and/or neurosurgeon. We confirm the cortical thickening, dyslamination, neuronal cytomegaly, and gliosis in FNG vs. cortical architectural preservation and normal neuronal cytology in SMART, although both showed gliosis, scattered neurons with cytoplasmic accumulation of tau and neurofibrillary protein and variable co-existence of other radiation-induced lesions. Both conditions lacked significant inflammation or consistent small vessel hyalinization throughout the entire resection specimen. The absence of pathognomonic histologic alterations in SMART cases suggests underlying vascular dysregulation. Despite differing histology, some overlap may exist in neuroimaging features. Molecular assessment conducted in 2 cases of FNG was negative for significant alterations including in the MAPK pathway.

Childhood Small-Vessel Primary Angiitis of the Central Nervous System: Overlap With MOG-Associated Disease.

BACKGROUND: Childhood (c) primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare condition that most often affects small vessels (SV), is nearly exclusively lymphocytic, and devoid of vessel necrosis. Diagnosis of cSV-PACNS is challenging. We noted possible histological overlap of cSV-PACNS with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein disease (MOGAD) on biopsy, prompting a 10-year retrospective review of our experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Database-search for brain biopsy cases, age <18 years, performed for an acquired neurological deficit with suspicion of vasculitis, with histological evidence of lymphocytic small-vessel inflammation. RESULTS: We identified 7 patients; 2/7 were serum-positive for anti-MOG antibodies and 1/7 for anti-NMDA antibodies. The remaining 4/7 proved to be idiopathic lymphocytic vasculitis/cSV-PACNS. All 7 showed overlapping features of lymphocytes permeating parenchymal SV walls, vessel wall distortion without fibrinoid necrosis, and absence of microglial clusters or intravascular thrombi. Tissue infarction was confined to a single case of idiopathic lymphocytic vasculitis. Although demyelination was diligently sought, only subtle demyelination was identified in the 2 MOGAD cases and absent in the remainder. CONCLUSION: There is considerable histological overlap between cSV-PACNS and at least some cases of MOGAD or anti-NMDA-encephalitis; at diagnosis, the differential should include cSV-PACNS but correct classification requires post-biopsy serological testing.

Some CNS sarcomas seen: A 22-year series.

AIMS: Central nervous system (CNS) and spine are seldom impacted by primary or metastatic sarcomas. We reviewed our 22-year experience with metastatic versus primary mesenchymal sarcomas in adults versus pediatric patients, additionally asking how many might today undergo nomenclature changes using CNS World Health Organization, 5th edition criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case identification via text word search of pathology databases from our adult and pediatric referral hospitals, 2000 to August 2022, with exclusion of peripheral nervous system and primary chondro-osseous and notochordal tumors. Demographic, immunohistochemical, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and fusion results performed at the time of original diagnosis were acquired from reports. RESULTS: 57 cases were identified, with a 16 : 15 primary and 19 : 7 metastatic ratio in adult versus pediatric patients. Ewing sarcoma was the most frequent type (n = 18, 7 adult, 11 pediatric), with a rare primary PEComa, 2 alveolar soft part sarcomas, and metastatic angiosarcoma in the cohort. Only 3 cases, an intracranial sarcoma, DICER-1 mutant formerly diagnosed as rhabdomyosarcoma, an intracranial mesenchymal tumor, FET::CREB fusion-positive formerly diagnosed as angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, and a CIC-rearranged sarcoma required nomenclature updating by CNS WHO5 criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Few primary or metastatic, adult or pediatric, CNS/spinal sarcomas required nomenclature updates; almost all had been satisfactorily classified at the time of diagnosis, using immunohistochemistry, FISH, or fusion results.

A complement-microglial axis drives synapse loss during virus-induced memory impairment.

Over 50% of patients who survive neuroinvasive infection with West Nile virus (WNV) exhibit chronic cognitive sequelae. Although thousands of cases of WNV-mediated memory dysfunction accrue annually, the mechanisms responsible for these impairments are unknown. The classical complement cascade, a key component of innate immune pathogen defence, mediates synaptic pruning by microglia during early postnatal development. Here we show that viral infection of adult hippocampal neurons induces complement-mediated elimination of presynaptic terminals in a murine WNV neuroinvasive disease model. Inoculation of WNV-NS5-E218A, a WNV with a mutant NS5(E218A) protein leads to survival rates and cognitive dysfunction that mirror human WNV neuroinvasive disease. WNV-NS5-E218A-recovered mice (recovery defined as survival after acute infection) display impaired spatial learning and persistence of phagocytic microglia without loss of hippocampal neurons or volume. Hippocampi from WNV-NS5-E218A-recovered mice with poor spatial learning show increased expression of genes that drive synaptic remodelling by microglia via complement. C1QA was upregulated and localized to microglia, infected neurons and presynaptic terminals during WNV neuroinvasive disease. Murine and human WNV neuroinvasive disease post-mortem samples exhibit loss of hippocampal CA3 presynaptic terminals, and murine studies revealed microglial engulfment of presynaptic terminals during acute infection and after recovery. Mice with fewer microglia (Il34(-/-) mice with a deficiency in IL-34 production) or deficiency in complement C3 or C3a receptor were protected from WNV-induced synaptic terminal loss. Our study provides a new murine model of WNV-induced spatial memory impairment, and identifies a potential mechanism underlying neurocognitive impairment in patients recovering from WNV neuroinvasive disease.

Cerebral amyloidomas: Perspective on unusual morphological features.

AIMS: Cerebral amyloidomas (CAs) are mass-producing congophilic lesions most commonly due to λ light chain deposits, contrasting them with light chain deposition disease (LCDD) which has non-polarizable, often κ light chain deposition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Although usual histological features are well known, we detail 3 recent CAs with unusual morphological findings and review the literature specifically for these features. RESULTS: Two women, aged 56 and 58 years, had right cerebral white matter CAs. The biopsy of case 1 disclosed congophilic polarizable deposits with prominent dystrophic mineralization as well as scant plasma cells. Case 2 had a CA with significant multinucleated giant cell reaction to the amyloid and additionally contained an area suspicious for marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. Case 3 was a clinically unsuspected CA identified at autopsy in a 75-year-old woman that manifested as several contiguous left frontal lobe white matter erythematous, hyperemic lesions; microscopy showed nodular and concentric amyloid deposits and thick perivascular cuffs of plasma cells. Mass spectrometry proved λ light and α heavy chain amyloid deposits in all 3 cases. CONCLUSION: These 3 CA cases illustrate several unusual gross and microscopic features that are discussed in context with the literature.

Genetic and epigenetic characterization of posterior pituitary tumors.

Pituicytoma (PITUI), granular cell tumor (GCT), and spindle cell oncocytoma (SCO) are rare tumors of the posterior pituitary. Histologically, they may be challenging to distinguish and have been proposed to represent a histological spectrum of a single entity. We performed targeted next-generation sequencing, DNA methylation profiling, and copy number analysis on 47 tumors (14 PITUI; 12 GCT; 21 SCO) to investigate molecular features and explore possibilities of clinically meaningful tumor subclassification. We detected two main epigenomic subgroups by unsupervised clustering of DNA methylation data, though the overall methylation differences were subtle. The largest group (n = 23) contained most PITUIs and a subset of SCOs and was enriched for pathogenic mutations within genes in the MAPK/PI3K pathways (12/17 [71%] of sequenced tumors: FGFR1 (3), HRAS (3), BRAF (2), NF1 (2), CBL (1), MAP2K2 (1), PTEN (1)) and two with accompanying TERT promoter mutation. The second group (n = 16) contained most GCTs and a subset of SCOs, all of which mostly lacked identifiable genetic drivers. Outcome analysis demonstrated that the presence of chromosomal imbalances was significantly associated with reduced progression-free survival especially within the combined PITUI and SCO group (p = 0.031). In summary, we observed only subtle DNA methylation differences between posterior pituitary tumors, indicating that these tumors may be best classified as subtypes of a single entity. Nevertheless, our data indicate differences in mutation patterns and clinical outcome. For a clinically meaningful subclassification, we propose a combined histo-molecular approach into three subtypes: one subtype is defined by granular cell histology, scarcity of identifiable oncogenic mutations, and favorable outcome. The other two subtypes have either SCO or PITUI histology but are segregated by chromosomal copy number profile into a favorable group (no copy number changes) and a less favorable group (copy number imbalances present). Both of the latter groups have recurrent MAPK/PI3K genetic alterations that represent potential therapeutic targets.

Morphological diversity in H3G34-mutant high-grade gliomas: Ganglionic and epithelioid features.

Although increasing numbers of central nervous system (CNS) tumors with stereotypic morphological, molecular, and/or site-specific features have been recently reported, morphological diversity is often recognized within a tumor category as more cases are encountered. Such was the case with diffuse midline gliomas, H3K27M-mutant. Therefore, it is not surprising that two cases of H3G34-mutant. CNS tumors with advanced ganglionic differentiation were recently published, especially given the posited role of this mutation in neuronal differentiation. We have encountered, in a 17-year-old female, a third example with advanced neoplastic ganglion cell differentiation that mimicked anaplastic ganglioglioma, with the ganglionic elements further confirmed as neoplastic by H3G34 immunohistochemistry (IHC). We therefore sought to review our experience with H3G34-mutant tumors, assessing for morphological diversity, supplemented by IHC. Six cases (ages 17 - 33 years), all confirmed on mutational analyses, were identified that were further negative for BRAFV600E or other major oncogenic mutations/fusions. The index anaplastic ganglioglioma-like case manifested multifocal large dysmorphic ganglion cells IHC+ for synaptophysin, chromogranin, and neurofilament, but no CD34 immunopositivity. A tumor from a 33-year-old male contained rare neuronal-like cells, with subtler enlargement, that were synaptophysin and neurofilament protein IHC+ and exceeded the size expected in "primitive neuroectodermal like (PNET)" tumors. A third example with morphological diversity was a glioblastoma with prominent epithelioid cells. We conclude that a spectrum of morphological differentiation does occur beyond the well-known glioblastoma or PNET-like morphology in H3G34-mutant tumors, adding to the literature one more example with advanced ganglionic differentiation and one with epithelioid features.

Targeted fusion analysis can aid in the classification and treatment of pediatric glioma, ependymoma, and glioneuronal tumors.

BACKGROUND: The use of next-generation sequencing for fusion identification is being increasingly applied and aids our understanding of tumor biology. Some fusions are responsive to approved targeted agents, while others have future potential for therapeutic targeting. Although some pediatric central nervous system tumors may be cured with surgery alone, many require adjuvant therapy associated with acute and long-term toxicities. Identification of targetable fusions can shift the treatment paradigm toward earlier integration of molecularly targeted agents. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with glial, glioneuronal, and ependymal tumors between 2002 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed for fusion testing. Testing was done primarily using the ArcherDx FusionPlex Solid Tumor panel, which assesses fusions in 53 genes. In contrast to many previously published series chronicling fusions in pediatric patients, we compared histological features and the tumor classification subtype with the specific fusion identified. RESULTS: We report 24 cases of glial, glioneuronal, or ependymal tumors from pediatric patients with identified fusions. With the exception of BRAF:KIAA1549 and pilocytic/pilomyxoid astrocytoma morphology, and possibly QKI-MYB and angiocentric glioma, there was not a strong correlation between histological features/tumor subtype and the specific fusion. We report the unusual fusions of PPP1CB-ALK, CIC-LEUTX, FGFR2-KIAA159, and MN1-CXXC5 and detail their morphological features. CONCLUSIONS: Fusion testing proved to be informative in a high percentage of cases. A large majority of fusion events in pediatric glial, glioneuronal, and ependymal tumors can be identified by relatively small gene panels.

Distinguishing Encephaloclastic Lesions Resulting From Primary or Secondary Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency From Other Neonatal or Infantile Cavitary Brain Lesions.

The central nervous system (CNS) is a highly complex and energy-dependent organ that is subject to a wide variety of metabolic, hypoxic-ischemic, and infectious insults that result in cystic changes. Diagnosis of metabolic defects causing extensive cystic changes is particularly challenging for the pediatric pathologist, due to the rarity of these conditions. Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) deficiency is one of the most common etiologies of congenital lactic acidosis, caused by mutations in subunits of the large mitochondrial matrix complex, and characterized by periventricular cysts, although few detailed reports focusing on neuropathologic findings exist. In addition, rare defects in other mitochondrial enzymes such as short-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (SCEH, encoded by ECHS1 gene) can cause secondary PDH deficiency and present with neonatal lactic acidosis, but neuropathological findings have never been reported. Nonmetabolic conditions can also produce CNS cystic lesions, primarily in newborns. The pathologist must therefore distinguish between these etiologically disparate conditions which can produce CNS cavitary lesions. Here, we compare and contrast the gross and microscopic findings of cysts associated with cases of PDH and SCEH deficiencies with other neonatal cystic brain diseases including periventricular leukomalacia, neonatal Alexander disease, Canavan disease, and a case of cysts associated with a vascular abnormality. Our studies show that PDH and SCEH deficiencies are not grossly or histologically distinguishable from each other and both are associated with smooth-walled cysts largely limited to the telencephalic germinal matrix. Both show an absence of prominent hemosiderin deposits, Rosenthal fibers, vacuolization of the white matter, and gliosis or axonal damage in the surrounding parenchyma. These features can help distinguish PDH/SCEH deficiency from other pediatric/neonatal cystic CNS disorders, especially those produced by hypoxic ischemic conditions. Cysts, usually bilateral, confined to the telencephalic germinal matrix should elicit metabolic and genetic testing to appropriately diagnose PDH and SCEH and distinguish them from each other.

How frequent is double pathology in Rasmussen encephalitis?

Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) is an uncommon, medically refractory cause of seizures that usually presents in childhood or adolescence resulting in unilateral hemispheric atrophy in most cases. The purported immune-mediated cause of the disease is supported by the characteristic histopathologic features of diffuse perivascular and intraparenchymal T-cell-predominant infiltrates, microglial activation with microglial nodules, and neuronophagia. A small number of reports have emerged, however, suggesting that double pathology (such as focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) or hippocampal sclerosis) may be present. We asked how often double pathology could be demonstrated in RE. A 15-year retrospective review of all RE cases seen at our pediatric tertiary care hospital yielded 11 patients, many of which had some degree of double pathology. The most diagnostically incontrovertible examples showed leptomeningeal neuronal heterotopia (n = 1) or leptomeningeal melanocytic nevus (n = 1). Another coexistent feature was neuronal gigantism unassociated with hemimegaloencephaly, particularly prominent in layer II (n = 2). Three additional cases showed dysmorphic neurons in the hippocampus (n = 2) and dentate granule cell layer dispersion/bilamination (n = 1). Finally, 2 cases had exaggerated radial arrangement of neurons FCD type Ia-like changes) (n = 2), a condition known to have interobserver discordance. In summary, 7/11 of our RE cases showed prominent additional pathologies, 6 of which demonstrated disproportionately more severe inflammation, neuronophagia, or microglial activation in regions of double pathology. Our collection of cases shows that a majority of RE cases show double pathology. Although some of these cases can be reactive, the presence of maldevelopment in a subset raises the possibility of a causal relationship with RE.
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Cystic sellar salivary gland-like lesions.

INTRODUCTION: Cystic sellar salivary gland-like lesions (CSSLs) are exceedingly rare, with fewer than a dozen case reports. They contain amorphous colloid identical to Rathke cleft cyst contents, but the cyst wall additionally shows cohesive aggregates of benign salivary glands. We report three new examples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two cases were seen at University of Colorado Denver and one at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK). Molecular testing was attempted on two of three. RESULTS: Case 1 is a 20-year-old female who presented with panhypopituitarism and was found to have a suprasellar mass that proved to be a CSSL. She received no postoperative adjuvant therapy, but recurrence of headaches and blurred vision 2 years later prompted return to medical attention. A much smaller local cyst recurrence was now accompanied by a thickened, bulbous infundibular stalk. Second resection yielded a gliotic infundibular stalk and amorphous mucin, but no residual salivary-like glands. She is without further recurrence on 6-year follow-up. Case 2 is a 29-year-old female with headache; while seen initially at a tertiary care center, diagnosis was only made after consultation at MSK. Case 3 is 68-year-old female who had originally presented with apoplexy to an outside hospital 7 years prior to surgery and diagnosis. Molecular testing was uninformative on case 1 and negative for mutations or fusions on case 3. CONCLUSION: Few pathologists or neuropathologists have encountered CSSLs in their practices; case 1 produced recurrence and significant infundibular stalk damage, and case 3 originally manifested apoplexy, features not previously reported.

Reliability of fluorescein-assisted stereotactic brain biopsies in predicting conclusive tissue diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of fluorescein sodium in predicting conclusive tissue diagnosis in stereotactic brain biopsies and to characterize features of contrast-enhancing and non-enhancing MRI lesions associated with fluorescence. METHODS: A total of 19 patients were studied, 14 of which had contrast-enhancing and 5 of which had non-enhancing lesions on preoperative T1 post-gadolinium MRI scan. All patients received 3 mg/kg fluorescein sodium during anesthesia induction. Biopsy specimens were photographed under the operating microscope, using the Yellow560 module, prior to histopathological analysis. Two observers blinded to the MRI scans and histopathological results categorized the photographs retrospectively as "fluorescent" or "not fluorescent." Inter-rater agreement was assessed using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of fluorescence reliability were calculated for MRI contrast-enhancing lesions and confirmed location-concordance of tumor pathology based on rater's fluorescence status assessment. Results were correlated finally with final results on permanent sections. RESULTS: Strength of inter-rater fluorescence status agreement was found to be "substantial" (kappa = 0.771). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for "fluorescent" and "not fluorescent" specimen in comparison with MRI contrast-enhancing lesions were 97%, 40%, and 82%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for confirmed tumor pathology were 100%, 63%, and 91%, respectively. Permanent pathology revealed high-grade glioma n = 5, low-grade glioma n = 3, lymphoma n = 5, pineal tumor n = 2, hamartoma n = 1, and nonspecific hypercellularity n = 3. CONCLUSIONS: Fluorescein-assisted stereotactic brain biopsies demonstrated a high likelihood to manifest fluorescence in contrast-enhancing MRI lesions, while adequately predicting conclusive tumor pathology.

H3 K27M-mutant gliomas in adults vs. children share similar histological features and adverse prognosis.

BACKGROUND: H3 K27M mutation was originally described in pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), but has been recently recognized to occur also in adult midline diffuse gliomas, as well as midline tumors with other morphologies, including gangliogliomas (GGs), anaplastic GGs, pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs), and posterior fossa ependymomas. In a few patients with H3 K27M;mutant tumors with these alternate morphologies, longer survival has been reported, making grading difficult for the neuropathologist. Few series compare tumors in adult vs. pediatric cohorts; we report our 4-year experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Text Word database searches using H3 K27M in reports generated between January 2013 and November 10, 2017 were used to identify patients. Clinical and histological features as well as survival were evaluated for each case. RESULTS: 28 H3 K27M-mutant tumors were identified, with equal numbers of adults (13) vs. children (15). For adults, mean and median age was 52 years (range = 27 - 81 years), 2 decades older than a recently-published adult series. Tumors involved thalamic (adult = 7; pediatric = 7), spinal cord (adult = 4; pediatric = 2), pons (adult = 1; pediatric = 6), and hypothalamic (n = 1) sites. Other morphologies at presentation included pure GG (n = 3, pediatric) and PA (n = 1, adult). One adult and 1 pediatric patient each presented with leptomeningeal dissemination or developed leptomeningeal dissemination within 1 year after diagnosis, with transformation from PA or GG histology to glioblastoma. Mean survival was 9.3 (adults) vs. 8.9 (pediatric) months. Patients with tumors of other morphologies (GG, PA) did not enjoy extended survival. CONCLUSION: H3 K27M-mutant tumors can affect patients at advanced ages, may show leptomeningeal dissemination at time of presentation, and "pure" GG or PA morphology is not rare. Regardless of patient age or tumor morphology, patients fare equally poorly.
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Massive dissemination of adult glioblastomas.

BACKGROUND: Recent autopsy data suggests a high incidence of leptomeningeal metastases (LM), Acta Neuropathologica 2014; 128: 573 and subventricular spread (SVS), Acta Neuropathologica 2014; 127: 605 in pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas, but both LM and SVS also occur in adult glioblastoma (GBM). Autopsy is required to fully appreciate this tumor behavior. METHODS: From January 1, 2014 to January 3, 2015 we conducted 239 adult autopsies, 8 of which were identified on search to be GBMs. RESULTS: Of these 8 GBMs, one-half showed bulky spread (SVS (n = 2), LM (n = 2), bone marrow (n = 1)), and 2 of these 4 additionally had microscopic LM. In patient 1 GBM with a very minor epithelioid component on the surgical specimen spread evolved to a predominantly epithelioid GBM (E-GBM) phenotype in the clinically-unsuspected LM at autopsy. Patient 2, with malignant glioma with primitive neuroectodermal tumor (MGPNET), had a secondary GBM with a noncanonical isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation and 11-year-survival; autopsy showed encasement of the entire bilateral ventricular system by SVS. Patient 3, also with an IDH1- positive secondary GBM, had survived 10 years, only to develop thrombocytopenia and succumb to extensive bone marrow replacement by his tumor. Patient 4 had a radiation-induced posterior fossa GBM that demonstrated LM/SVS spread pattern identical to that described in pediatric diffuse pontine gliomas. CONCLUSIONS: Several subtypes of adult GBM (MG-PNET, posterior fossa GBMs, E-GBMs) have recently been recognized to have a propensity for LM; autopsy permission should especially be sought for these tumor types. Correlation between genetics and LM/SVS is now possible and may shed further light on this behavior.

Increased immune gene expression and immune cell infiltration in high-grade astrocytoma distinguish long-term from short-term survivors.

Survival in the majority of high-grade astrocytoma (HGA) patients is very poor, with only a rare population of long-term survivors. A better understanding of the biological factors associated with long-term survival in HGA would aid development of more effective therapy and survival prediction. Factors associated with long-term survival have not been extensively studied using unbiased genome-wide expression analyses. In the current study, gene expression microarray profiles of HGA from long-term survivors were interrogated for discovery of survival-associated biological factors. Ontology analyses revealed that increased expression of immune function-related genes was the predominant biological factor that positively correlated with longer survival. A notable T cell signature was present within this prognostic immune gene set. Using immune cell-specific gene classifiers, both T cell-associated and myeloid linage-associated genes were shown to be enriched in HGA from long-term versus short-term survivors. Association of immune function and cell-specific genes with survival was confirmed independently in a larger publicly available glioblastoma gene expression microarray data set. Histology was used to validate the results of microarray analyses in a larger cohort of long-term survivors of HGA. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that increased immune cell infiltration was a significant independent variable contributing to longer survival, as was Karnofsky/Lansky performance score. These data provide evidence of a prognostic anti-tumor adaptive immune response and rationale for future development of immunotherapy in HGA.

Predominantly periventricular necrotizing encephalitis due to toxoplasmosis: two unusual cases and review of literature.

Ventriculitis or periventriculitis as a predominant pattern of tissue involvement in cerebral toxoplasmosis was always a rare event, even at the height of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) era. Ventriculitis on premortem neuroimaging or at autopsy in AIDS patients chiefly led to differential diagnoses of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) or cytomegalovirus ventriculitis, not toxoplasmosis. Usually cerebral toxoplasmosis manifests as multifocal, necrotizing, hemorrhagic foci of cerebritis or abscesses. We report two non-AIDS patients with cerebral toxoplasmosis that presented with predominant ventriculitis/periventriculitis, with diagnosis in both cases made only at postmortem examination. A 90-year-old woman, with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and large granular lymphocytic leukemia diagnosed 2 1/2 years prior, presented with altered mental status. Neuroimaging revealed a necrotic 5.4 × 4.6 × 3.5 cm mass extending across corpus callosum and involving both periventricular frontal horn regions, diagnosed as "butterfly" glioblastoma or possible PCNSL. No consideration of infection was raised, care was withdrawn. A 44-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) treated with prednisone presented with fever and generalized malaise with rapid progression to agitation and confusion. Infection was suspected, but never confirmed on extensive premortem workup. Brain autopsy in both patients revealed severe necrotizing toxoplasmosis virtually confined to periventricular regions. In the first case, necrosis extended across the corpus callosum. Large numbers of organisms were found microscopically, reflecting their immunocompromised, and untreated, status. Cerebral toxoplasmosis should be included in the differential diagnosis when encountering patients with necrotizing ventriculitis, even in the non-AIDS immunosuppressed population.

Composite pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma-epithelioid glioneuronal tumor with BRAF V600E mutation - report of three cases.

We report three examples of a composite pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma-epithelioid glioneuronal tumor (PXAEGT) occurring in an adolescent male and two young women. All were superficial and two were located in proximity to the optic nerves. Previously reported composite PXA-gangliogliomas (PXA-GG), have been considered "collision tumors" since little intermingling of the two elements has been present. In contrast, we hypothesized that the two elements of the PXA-EGT might instead derive from a common origin. To test this, we sampled the separate regions of these biphasic tumors and assessed each component for the BRAF V600E mutation, a genetic feature seen in two-thirds of pure PXAs. The BRAF mutation was found in both tumor areas in all cases, suggesting a common origin for the components, rather than a collision tumor. These biphasic PXA-EGT cases represent a new histomorphological combination of neuroepithelial neoplastic elements. These cases further expand the range of glial neoplasia in which epithelioid morphology is encountered, and add to the growing list of biphasic tumors harboring the BRAF V600E mutation.