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Cranial and spinal tumors with meningitic onset

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Abstract

We review the literature on cases of cranial or spinal tumor presenting with meningitic symptoms. Embryonal tumors — dermoid cysts, epidermoid, epidermoid cysts, craniopharyngiomas, teratomas - and malignant gliomas were the cause of most of the episodes of chemical meningitis, single or multiple in patients with no neurological symptoms. Differential diagnosis from aseptic meningitis, especially from Mollaret aseptic meningitis, is essential.

Sommario

Viene effettuata una revisione della letteratura dei casi di neoplasia cranica o spinale, che presentarono una sintomatologia di esordio di tipo meningitico. I tumori disembriogenetici (cisti dermoidi, cisti epidermoidi, craniofaringiomi, teratomi) ed i gliomi maligni, sono i maggiori responsabili di episodi singoli o multipli di meningite chimica in pazienti neurologicamente asintomatici. La diagnosi differenziale con le meningiti asettiche ed in particolare con la meningite asettica di Mollaret deve essere sempre accuratamente eseguita.

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  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Neurochirurgia, Università “La Sapienza”, viale dell'Università 30A, 00185, Roma

    Lunardi P. & Missori P.

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Lunardi, P., Missori, P. Cranial and spinal tumors with meningitic onset. Ital J Neuro Sci 11, 145–151 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02335557

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