Probable Primary Leptomeningeal Melanoma: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

Primary leptomeningeal melanomas(PLMs) are rare aggressive central nervous system(CNS) tumors without systemic foci. It can be very difficult, however, to clearly distinguish PLMs from those that have metastasized. We report a case of malignant leptomenigeal melanoma occurring in the right temporal convexity of a 77-yearold woman. Almost all malignant CNS melanomas in the old are secondary to the cutaneous melanoma and can cause diverse neurological manifestations; certain clinical findings of the presented case-namely, the patient's age, vague neurologic findings and absence of cutaneous lesions -are therefore interesting. Thorough clinical checkups, including whole-body bone scan, whole spine MRI, abdominal ultrasound, and tumor marker studies to find extracranial lesions revealed no abnormalities. Based on these clinical findings, we suppose-though are not certain-that the tumor of the presented case is a PLM.