Malignant Intracranial Osteolytic Meningioma Appearing as an Extracranial Soft Tissue Mass: A Cases Report

ABSTRACT

Malignant intracranial meningioma is a rare pathologic entity. Although the topic is widely discussed, there is little agreement in the literatures as to the histological and radiological features that warrant the diagnosis of malignant meningioma. An osteolytic lesion of the skull may have been suggested in several cases. But in adults, the most commonly suspected lesion is metastatic lesion;while meningioma is rarely suspected. Meningiomas are occasionally associated even with extracranial masses. However, most of these masses are firm, and are caused by hyperostosis. Extracranial soft-tissue masses rarely arise in meningiomas, thus, the presence of both osteolytic skull lesion and soft-tissue mass is exceedingly rare in meningiomas. The authors report a case of osteolytic malignant meningioma located at the frontal fossa extending to the subgaleal space appearing as an extracranial soft-tissue mass in a 19-year-old female. The clinical, radiological, neurosurgical, and histopathological features of these lesions are discussed together with a review of the literatures.