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Trigeminal nerve root entry zone pilocytic astrocytoma in an adult: a rare case of an extraparenchymal tumor

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Abstract

Extra-axial cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors account for approximately 10% of all brain neoplasms in adults. Vestibular schwannomas are the most common, followed by meningiomas. Gliomas in the CPA are rare and quite often are the exophytic extension of primary brain stem or cerebellar tumors. We describe a pilocytic astrocytoma of the CPA that was found to arise from the proximal portion of trigeminal nerve without any anatomic continuity with the brain stem and the cerebellum. Pre-operative MRI suggested a schwannoma. The proposed origin of this extremely rare tumor is the root entry zone of the involved nerve. The tumor was completely resected via a suboccipital retrosigmoid approach.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinica di Neurochirurgia, Università Politecnica delle Marche, v. Conca no 71, 60020, Ancona, Italy

    Formica Francesco, Iacoangeli Maurizio, Chiriatti Stefano & Scerrati Massimo

  2. Department of Pathology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy

    Scarpelli Marina

  3. Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy

    Salvolini Ugo

Authors
  1. Formica Francesco
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  2. Iacoangeli Maurizio
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  3. Chiriatti Stefano
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  4. Scarpelli Marina
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  5. Salvolini Ugo
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  6. Scerrati Massimo
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Correspondence to Formica Francesco.

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The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials and methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper.

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Francesco, F., Maurizio, I., Stefano, C. et al. Trigeminal nerve root entry zone pilocytic astrocytoma in an adult: a rare case of an extraparenchymal tumor. J Neurooncol 97, 285–290 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-009-0020-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-009-0020-4

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