Extensive spinal necrosis with spinal leptomeningeal dissemination of cerebral astrocytoma. Case report.

A 58-year-old male with malignant astrocytoma in the right parietal lobe developed ascending spinal dysfunction 15 months after subtotal resection of the primary lesion. He was treated by postoperative radiation and combined chemotherapy. Autopsy revealed extensive spinal necrosis affecting the level below the lower cervical region. Microscopic examination demonstrated diffuse leptomeningeal metastasis of glioma cells to the whole spine. There was no previous report in the literature of massive myelomalacia attributable to leptomeningeal dissemination an astrocytic supratentorial tumour. Clinical and neuropathological findings suggested that disturbance of venous drainage of the spinal cord might be responsible for myelomalacia in this case.