Dilok Tantongtip1, Pattarawit Rukkul. 1. Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand. dilok-t@hotmail.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Leptomeningeal with intramedullary spinal cord metastasis rarely occur. Most patients have dramatically poor prognosis. The causes of metastasis remain unclear and there is still no principle management for this aggressive tumor. CASE REPORT: The presentation report demonstrates the clinical features, the radiographic study and the histological characteristics in a 46-year-old woman who underwent surgical removal of a supratentorial glioblastoma and developed symptomatic spinal metastasis. The pathological report confirmed the diagnosis by laminectomy and intramedullary tumor biopsy. The analysis of the possible factors of metastasis and the management of this circumstance are discussed. CONCLUSION: Spinal cord metastasis of Glioblastoma is one of the most poor prognostic factors. The most important precipitating factor is the location of the tumor which is located near the cerebrospinal fluid cistern. Magnetic resonance imaging of the whole spine should be considered in this group of patients.
BACKGROUND: Leptomeningeal with intramedullary spinal cord metastasis rarely occur. Most patients have dramatically poor prognosis. The causes of metastasis remain unclear and there is still no principle management for this aggressive tumor. CASE REPORT: The presentation report demonstrates the clinical features, the radiographic study and the histological characteristics in a 46-year-old woman who underwent surgical removal of a supratentorial glioblastoma and developed symptomatic spinal metastasis. The pathological report confirmed the diagnosis by laminectomy and intramedullary tumor biopsy. The analysis of the possible factors of metastasis and the management of this circumstance are discussed. CONCLUSION: Spinal cord metastasis of Glioblastoma is one of the most poor prognostic factors. The most important precipitating factor is the location of the tumor which is located near the cerebrospinal fluid cistern. Magnetic resonance imaging of the whole spine should be considered in this group of patients.