Central neurocytoma: a clinico-pathological study of eight cases.

Central neurocytomas are benign neuronal tumours generally found in the lateral or third ventricles. They are rare, comprising < 1% of all brain tumours. It is frequently confused with other tumours of the central nervous system particularly oligodendroglioma. The present study was done to analyse the histopathological features including immunohistochemical profile of these rare tumours. Eight cases were taken up for the study. Seven of the cases had an intraventricular location and one was located outside the ventricles. Increased intracranial pressure was the most common presenting symptom. Microscopically all tumours were composed of small uniform cells with perinuclear halos and regular round nuclei. The tumour in extraventricular location showed atypical features. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity for neuronal markers. The present series highlights the characteristic clinical and pathological findings of this rare brain tumour. Immunostaining for neuronal markers are essential for distinguishing them from other small round cell tumours of the brain.

Demyelinating disease simulating brain tumours: a histopathologic assessment of seven cases.

BACKGROUND: Demyelinating diseases can present as space occupying lesions with in the brain. It is clinically and radiologically difficult to differentiate them from primary neoplasms. Histopathologically they mimic astrocytic neoplasms closely and identifying these lesions correctly has a profound impact in treatment and prognosis of these patients. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The objective was to determine the histopathologic features of such acute focal demyelinating disease that clinically presented as brain tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seven cases were included for the study. Detailed histopathological examination including stains for myelin and axon were performed. The histopathological keys in arriving at the right diagnoses included a well demarcated lesion that contains uniform distribution of foamy macrophages in the absence of any associated coagulative necrosis, sheets of gemistocytic astrocytes in the white matter that show well-formed processes, perivascular chronic inflammatory cell infiltration and total absence of myelin with relative preservation of axons within these areas. CONCLUSION: The degree of suspicion (clinical, radiological and histopathological) should be high to diagnose these group of lesions. The above-mentioned diagnostic keys should help in arriving at the correct histopathological diagnoses of such cases.

Bone scan in diagnosis of lymphoma with extensive bone marrow necrosis--a case report.

Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) is a relatively uncommon clinicopathologic entity with diverse etiology. We describe a case of BMN in a 11 1/2 year old male child with an underlying non Hodgkin's lymphoma T-cell type. With the help of 99m Tc-MDP (methylene diphosphonate) bone scan we were able to find out the etiologic factor in this case.

Griscelli syndrome.

An eight month old male infant presented with recurrent infections and partial albinism. Initially a possibility of Chediak Higashi syndrome (CHS) was considered, but a negative investigative work up prompted us to look for an alternate diagnosis. A literature search revealed that Griscelli syndrome (GS) has overlapping symptoms and signs. The findings in skin and hair biopsies in Griscelli syndrome are distinctive.