Leptomeningeal dissemination of spinal pilocytic astrocytoma: a rare entity

Description 

A currently 12-year-old boy presented at the age of 8 months with sleepiness, irritability and a tense fontanelle with upgaze palsy on a background of a 2-month history of vomiting, difficulty feeding and weight loss. Acute communicating hydrocephalus was diagnosed using ultrasonography and CT and treated with Ventriculo-Peritoneal shunt insertion. Further investigation with MRI (2006) found a thoracic intramedullary mass with further intracranial and spinal leptomeningeal dissemination (LD) (figures 1 and 2). A biopsy of the thoracic intramedullary mass showed pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) (figure 3).

Figure 1

Initial MRI whole spine (2006). (A) T2 sagittal, (B) T1 sagittal and (C) postcontrast T1 sagittal. Black arrows in (A) and (B) show upper thoracic intramedullary mass. The white arrow in (C) shows no significant enhancement. Thick white arrows in (C) show leptomeningeal enhancement.

Figure 2

Initial MRI brain...

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