Bilateral visual loss due to a giant olfactory meningioma

Visual Loss As Primary Manifestation of Olfactory Groove Meningioma

Differential diagnosis of vision loss in a space-occupying lesion can be exhaustive. Olfactory groove meningioma (OGM) is a rare, benign, slow-growing tumour originating from the anterior cranial base. OGM is one of the differential diagnoses of intracranial tumours. We report a case of an OGM compressing the optic nerve and frontal lobe causing bilateral vision loss for six months. Multidisciplinary management by ophthalmologists, neurosurgeons, radiologists, and pathologists led to the diagnosis and tumour resection of OGM in the patient. Possible mechanisms of vision loss, imaging features, and treatment are discussed in this report.

Ocular symptoms as the initial clinical manifestations in patients with extraocular tumors

Background

Due to the variety of clinical presentation, some tumors may be concealed and easily misdiagnosed, leading to delays in management. We report a series of patients who initially presented to an Ophthalmic Clinic with ocular symptoms and were subsequently diagnosed with extraocular tumors.

Methods

Patients who presented to the ophthalmic outpatient clinic at the Joint Shantou International Eye Center with ocular symptoms between April 2013 and December 2019 and were subsequently diagnosed with intracranial or systemic tumors were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical data, including ocular symptoms and signs, ophthalmic and systemic imaging examinations, and the results of tumor biopsies were collected and analyzed.

Results

Twenty-three patients were included in this study, of which 16 were female (69.6%) and 7 were male (30.4%). Chief complaints at the first visit included visual loss (n=20), proptosis (n=2), and diplopia (n=1). Ocular examination revealed disc pallor (n=8) and swelling (n=3), choroidal mass with or without chorioretinal detachment (n=5), and proptosis (n=2). Visual field (VF) examination was performed in 11 patients of which hemianopia (n=4) and non-specific field loss (n=7) were noted. Brain CT or MRI, together with histopathological findings from surgical biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of the intracranial tumors in 18 cases, including pituitary adenoma (n=7), meningioma (n=2), oligodendroglioma (n=1), sellar tumor (n=1), suprachiasmatic arteriovenous aneurysm (n=1), orbital glioma (n=1), multiple intracranial tumors (n=1), and sphenoid ossifying fibroma (n=1). Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) (n=3) was diagnosed with brain MRI and nasal endoscopy. Five patients were confirmed as choroidal metastasis secondary to lung cancer (n=3), hepatoma (n=1), and breast cancer (n=1).

Conclusions

Patients with extraocular tumors may present initially to an ophthalmologist with ocular symptoms. It is important to identify and appropriately manage these patients to avoid unnecessary delays in future treatment.

Child Abuse: The Consequence of an Undiagnosed Giant Olfactory Groove Meningioma?

Olfactory groove meningiomas are slow-growing tumors that manifest with headaches, changes in vision, and personality changes. The anatomic location of these tumors makes psychiatric disturbances more common early in the stage of tumors than focal neurological deficits. The case study here describes a unique instance of an undiagnosed giant olfactory groove meningioma in a young mother who was charged with a felony of aggravated child abuse for the death of her toddler daughter. The patient underwent gross tumor resection and radiation therapy, which halted the visual decline, resolved the frontal headaches, and the patient showed improved mood. In this patient, the insidious onset of personality changes without obvious focal neurologic deficits until late as well as a history of depression likely contributed to the delayed diagnosis. Failure to notice these initial behavioral manifestations in these patients allows for further psychiatric and cognitive decline, which can result in devastating social consequences.

Giant nasofrontal meningioma: endoscopic and transcranial approach followed by microvascularized vastus laterallis flap reconstruction

A 12-year-old girl presented with headache, nasal voice, and anosmia. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a 11 × 9 × 8-cm tumor extending from the nasal cavity to the frontal lobes. Histological analysis was consistent with transitional meningioma WHO grade I. As far as we know, this is the first reported case of a giant olfactory groove meningioma invading the nasal cavity through the anterior cranial base. Complete surgical removal was accomplished with excellent result via a staged endoscopic and transcranial approach. A microvascularized vastus laterallis flap was used for reconstruction. Surgical options and technical details in the management of this lesion are reviewed.

Visual findings as primary manifestations in patients with intracranial tumors

AIM

To evaluate the visual findings as primary manifestations in patients with intracranial tumors.

METHODS

The medical charts of the patients with intracranial tumors who initially admitted to the Neuro-ophthalmology and Strabismus Department with ocular complaints between August 1999 and December 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. The detailed clinical history and the findings of neuro-ophthalmologic examination were recorded. Ocular symptoms and signs, the types and locations of intracranial tumors, and the duration of symptoms before the diagnosis were evaluated.

RESULTS

The mean age of 11 women (61.1%) and 7 men (38.9%) was 42.2±11.0 (range 20-66y) at the time of intracranial tumor diagnosis. Initial symptoms were transient visual obscurations, visual loss or visual field defect in 16 cases (88.9%), and diplopia in 2 cases (11.1%). Neuro-ophthalmologic examination revealed normal optic discs in both eyes of 6 patients (33.3%), paleness, atrophy or edema of optic disc in 12 patients (66.7%), and sixth cranial nerve palsy in 2 patients (11.1%). Visual acuity ranged between normal vision and loss of light perception. Cranial imaging demonstrated craniopharyngioma (n=1), plasmacytoma (n=1), meningioma (n=6; olfactory groove and tuberculum sellae, pontocerebellar angle, anterior cranial fossa, frontal vertex, suprasellar region), and pituitary macroadenoma (n=10). The mean duration between the onset of visual disturbances and the diagnosis of intracranial tumor was 9.8±18mo (range 3d-6y).

CONCLUSION

The ophthalmologist is frequently the first physician to encounter a patient with clinical manifestations of intracranial tumors that may cause neurological and ocular complications. Neuro-ophthalmologic findings should be carefully evaluated to avoid a delay in the diagnosis of intracranial tumors.

[Rapid improvement in vision and visual field after olfactory groove meningioma operation]

This article reports the case of a 46-year-old female patient with a large olfactory groove meningioma (56 × 60 × 52 mm). Postoperatively, the patient rapidly experienced a significant improvement in vision and visual field, which initially was greatly impaired (initial vision 0.2 and circular impairment of the visual field of the left eye). The meningioma was resected by a frontal, osteoplastic craniotomy. Even on the sixth postoperative day, the vision and the visual field had completely recovered. An operative approach is indicated in large meningiomas targeting a complete resection.