[Intracerebral gliofibroma].

A 14-month-old girl had three epileptiform attacks in the course of 6 months, each consisting of rhythmic movements of the right arm and right hand of 5 minutes' duration, followed by a 15-minute period of weakness. There were otherwise no abnormal neurological signs. Prenatal and perinatal development had been uneventful and the mother was healthy. Computed tomography showed a tumour in the left frontoparietal region. Surgery revealed an intracerebral tumour 7 cm in diameter with two large cysts; it was not sharply demarcated from the brain parenchyma, had no connection with the dura and was not infiltrating the ventricular system. The tumour was completely removed and at follow-up 18 months later there was no evidence of recurrence. Histological and immunohistochemical investigations showed that the tumour consisted of closely interwoven astrocytes and fibroblasts, two different cell types the latter of which does not normally occur in the brain. Exact immunohistochemical analysis of the components of a tumour is important because, unlike pure glial tumours, gliofibromas have a good prognosis after complete resections.