Midbrain gliomas are relatively rare neoplasms with a generally benign prognosis, with dissemination or metastasis not previously reported. We describe here a woman, in whom magnetic resonance imaging scans showed hydrocephalus and a tegmental lesion in the upper aqueduct. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy and biopsy were performed; during surgery, a second small lesion was observed in the infun...

Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the benign variant of astrocytic tumours. Pilocytic(Greek word Pilos=hair) refers to frequent presence of cells with bipolar hairlike processes. Pilocytic tumours are juvenile astrocytomas commonly presenting during first two decades of life with a lowered occurrence in adults. Cerebellum is the favoured site. Spinal cord is the rare site of presentation. We report...

BACKGROUND Low-grade gliomas are uncommon primary brain tumors, located more often in the posterior fossa, optic pathway, and brain stem and less commonly in the cerebral hemispheres. CASE PRESENTATIONS Two patients with diagnosed recurrent cystic pilocytic astrocytoma critically located within the brain (thalamic and brain stem) were treated with gamma knife surgery. Gamma knife surgery (GKS...

Characterised by families with cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) and nervous system tumours. Initially described in a family with malignant melanoma and/or cerebral astrocytoma in eight members over three generations. Astroctytomas and cutaneous malignant melanoma have been identified in a number of well defined syndromes such as neurofibromatosis, Turcot’s, Lynch type II cancer, LiFraumeni an...

Pilocytic astrocytomas correspond to low-grade gliomas and therefore metastasize exceedingly rare. However, pilocytic astrocytomas are able to and leptomeningeal dissemination may be seen. What are the treatment options of these cases? We present a case report of a 3-year-old child with a pilocytic astrocytoma of the optic chiasm with leptomeningeal dissemination of the spinal meninges. Partial...

Nonneoplastic demyelinating processes of the brain with mass effect on magnetic resonance imaging can cause diagnostic difficulties. It requires differential diagnosis between the tumefactive demyelinating lesion and the coexistence of neoplasm. We document the case of 41-year-old woman with clinical and radiological findings suggestive of multiple sclerosis. Additional investigations confirmed...

A man of 51 years presented with sudden onset of a confusional state and marked visual deterioration. The computerised transaxial tomogram showed a mass in the corpus callosum which had spread to involve both cerebral hemispheres. The visual evoked potential to pattern stimulus was delayed by about 20 ms. Necropsy confirmed the presence of an astrocytoma of the corpus callosum involving the opt...

Acquired (neurogenic) stuttering is a rare phenomenon seen after cerebral infarction or brain injury. Aetiology of this symptom is unclear, but recent evidence supports that it is a disturbance in the left hemispheric neural network involving the interplay between the cortex and basal ganglia. We present the case of a patient who develops acquired stuttering after a recurrence of a right tempor...

Pilocytic astrocytoma is a slow-growing brain tumor that occurs more often in children with a benign course and long clinical history compared to diffuse astrocytomas. Pilocytic astrocytomas may rarely show malignant transformation and radiotherapy plays a key role in the treatment of malignant transformation. In this study, we present a pilocytic astrocytoma case with no radiotherapy history a...

Low grade glioma is a group of WHO grade II tumours including diffuse astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and oligoastrocytoma. Strong evidence exists in literature now to support early surgery and higher extent of safe resection in improving outcomes. In this review, we are highlighting some of the important studies done in the last few years specifically addressing timing of surgery and extent of...