OBJECTIVE: Corpora amylacea (CA) normally accumulate within perivascular, subpial, and subependymal astrocytic processes. CA are associated with a number of conditions including normal aging, hippocampal sclerosis associated with temporal lobe epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Lafora-type progressive myoclonic epilepsy, and adult polyglucosan body disease. Reports of massive localized accumulation of CA in the brain outside of these conditions are rare. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 49-year-old woman, with a long-standing history of migraine headaches, presented to her primary care provider for increased headache duration. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a left parahippocampal lesion, suggestive of low-grade glioma. INTERVENTION: Given the MRI suggestive of left parahippocampal glioma, left-sided frontotemporal craniotomy was performed for resection of the lesion. Specimens obtained during the operation revealed focal high-density accumulation of CA with no evidence of neoplasm, ischemia, or hypoxic injury. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the possibility that localized high-density CA accumulation can present as an intrinsic lesion on brain MRI. CA should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with brain MRI suggestive of nonenhancing space-occupying lesions.
OBJECTIVE: Corpora amylacea (CA) normally accumulate within perivascular, subpial, and subependymal astrocytic processes. CA are associated with a number of conditions including normal aging, hippocampal sclerosis associated with temporal lobe epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Lafora-type progressive myoclonic epilepsy, and adult polyglucosan body disease. Reports of massive localized accumulation of CA in the brain outside of these conditions are rare. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 49-year-old woman, with a long-standing history of migraine headaches, presented to her primary care provider for increased headache duration. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a left parahippocampal lesion, suggestive of low-grade glioma. INTERVENTION: Given the MRI suggestive of left parahippocampal glioma, left-sided frontotemporal craniotomy was performed for resection of the lesion. Specimens obtained during the operation revealed focal high-density accumulation of CA with no evidence of neoplasm, ischemia, or hypoxic injury. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the possibility that localized high-density CA accumulation can present as an intrinsic lesion on brain MRI. CA should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with brain MRI suggestive of nonenhancing space-occupying lesions.