INTRODUCTION: Leptomeningitis and pachymeningitis are known to occur consecutive to many causes. OBSERVATION: We report the case of a 24-year-old woman with symptoms of raised intracranial pressure and repeated switching transient hemiparesis. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a pachyleptomeningitis. Search for a cause was negative. The pathology examination of meningeal tissue revealed a malignant melanoma, without any sign of cutaneous melanoma, leading to the diagnosis of primary leptomeningeal malignant melanoma. CONCLUSION: A meningeal biopsy can enable the rare diagnosis of primary leptomeningeal malignant melanoma in a patient with unexplained pachyleptomeningitis.
INTRODUCTION:Leptomeningitis and pachymeningitis are known to occur consecutive to many causes. OBSERVATION: We report the case of a 24-year-old woman with symptoms of raised intracranial pressure and repeated switching transient hemiparesis. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a pachyleptomeningitis. Search for a cause was negative. The pathology examination of meningeal tissue revealed a malignant melanoma, without any sign of cutaneous melanoma, leading to the diagnosis of primary leptomeningeal malignant melanoma. CONCLUSION: A meningeal biopsy can enable the rare diagnosis of primary leptomeningeal malignant melanoma in a patient with unexplained pachyleptomeningitis.