Central nervous system (CNS) neuroblastoma. A case-based update. 2018

Federico Bianchi, and Gianpiero Tamburrini, and Marco Gessi, and Paolo Frassanito, and Luca Massimi, and Massimo Caldarelli
Pediatric Neurosurgery, Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University Medical School, Rome, Italy. fede0786@hotmail.it.

Primary central nervous system (CNS) neuroblastoma is a rare intracranial tumor affecting children mainly in the first years of life. It is usually a supratentorial tumor with a wide spectrum of clinical presentation, seizures, and focal neurological deficits being the most common presenting signs. A 2-year-old child was admitted to our ward after a generalized seizure. Neurological examination was normal. Radiological studies showed a small DWI hyperintense lesion of the right rectus gyrus. Follow-up brain MRI 8 months later showed a huge growth of the tumor (90 × 80 × 65 mm) with polycyclic and apparently defined margins, cystic components, and diffuse contrast enhancement. Complete tumor removal was performed in two planned surgical steps. Histological diagnosis was CNS neuroblastoma. At a follow-up of 8 months, the child is in good clinical and neurological condition and is completing chemotherapy treatment according to the SIOP PNET 4 protocol. A thorough review of the literature confirms that primary CNS neuroblastoma has to be considered a distinct entity. The disease related mortality is 12.5%, lower than the one usually reported for other previously described as PNETs tumors. The most relevant factors influencing prognosis are the possibility of obtaining a complete tumor removal and age more than 3 years, which allows to include radiotherapy among treatment options.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D008297 Male Males
D009447 Neuroblastoma A common neoplasm of early childhood arising from neural crest cells in the sympathetic nervous system, and characterized by diverse clinical behavior, ranging from spontaneous remission to rapid metastatic progression and death. This tumor is the most common intraabdominal malignancy of childhood, but it may also arise from thorax, neck, or rarely occur in the central nervous system. Histologic features include uniform round cells with hyperchromatic nuclei arranged in nests and separated by fibrovascular septa. Neuroblastomas may be associated with the opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome. (From DeVita et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp2099-2101; Curr Opin Oncol 1998 Jan;10(1):43-51) Neuroblastomas
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015898 Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed X-ray image-detecting devices that make a focused image of body structures lying in a predetermined plane from which more complex images are computed. CAT Scanners, X-Ray,CT Scanner, X-Ray,Computed Tomography Scanners, X-Ray,Tomography, Computed, Scanners,Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Scanners,CAT Scanner, X-Ray,Computed Tomography Scanner, X-Ray,Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Scanner,X-Ray Computed Tomography Scanner,X-Ray Computed Tomography Scanners,CAT Scanner, X Ray,CAT Scanners, X Ray,CT Scanner, X Ray,CT Scanners, X-Ray,Computed Tomography Scanner, X Ray,Computed Tomography Scanners, X Ray,Scanner, X-Ray CAT,Scanner, X-Ray CT,Scanners, X-Ray CAT,Scanners, X-Ray CT,Tomography Scanners, X Ray Computed,X Ray Computed Tomography Scanner,X Ray Computed Tomography Scanners,X-Ray CAT Scanner,X-Ray CAT Scanners,X-Ray CT Scanner,X-Ray CT Scanners
D016543 Central Nervous System Neoplasms Benign and malignant neoplastic processes that arise from or secondarily involve the brain, spinal cord, or meninges. CNS Neoplasm,CNS Neoplasms,Central Nervous System Neoplasm,Central Nervous System Tumor,Neoplasms, Central Nervous System,Primary Central Nervous System Neoplasm,Central Nervous System Neoplasms, Primary,Central Nervous System Tumors,Primary Central Nervous System Neoplasms,Tumors, Central Nervous System,Neoplasm, CNS,Neoplasms, CNS

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