Atypical Virchow-Robin SpacesMimicking Cystic Primary Brain Tumor ­ Clinical Report and Literature Review

The Virchow-Robin spaces (VRSs), which are often incidentally observed in modern structural neuroimaging examinations, are small cystic cavities that usually surround the small arteries and arterioles at the level of basal ganglia, the anterior perforated substance and the thalamic-mesencephalic junction. Typically, they have similar physicochemical characteristics to cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and there is no contrast enhancement on brain CT andMRI images. Its real meaning is unknown, although some contemporary studies have suggested that it might be related to certain traumatic brain injury or several other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, as degenerative diseases. Occasionally, some wide and atypical VRS may be mistaken for primary cystic brain tumors, especially in the context of large and symptomatic lesions, multiple clustered cysts, cortical lesions and if there is adjacent reactive gliosis. The present paper reports four patients who were affected by atypical VRS mimicking brain tumors that required imaging follow-up or even a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis or to indicate the correct approach. Although it is not so unusual, one of them occurred concomitantly and adjacent to a diffuse glioma (co-deleted 1p19q, WHO-GII).

A Diffuse Leptomeningeal Glioneural Tumor Case Producing Hydrocephalus and Polyradiculopathy

The present report describes the case of a male 17-year-old patient who progressively developed a hydrocephalus and polyradiculopathy due to involvement of central nervous system (CNS) by a diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor (DLGNT). The tumor had partial remission in response to the treatment with radiotherapy plus procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy, and the patient had improvement in function and pain levels. The current knowledge about DLGNT, including its clinical manifestations, imaging findings, histological characteristics, and treatment are revised and discussed in the present paper.