Association between cavernous angioma and cerebral glioma: Report of two cases and literature review of so-called angiogliomas

Surgical management of diffuse low-grade gliomas associated with other intracranial diseases

BACKGROUND

The association of diffuse, low-grade glioma (DLGG) with other intracranial pathologies is a rare condition, raising the question of what constitutes its most effective therapeutic management. It is not known whether this is a simple coincidence or whether there is a higher significant risk involved with the co-existence of DLGG and another disease. We report the first consecutive series of nine patients who underwent surgical resection for such a glioma.

METHOD

We reviewed DLGGs removed between 1998 and 2013 that were associated with another intracranial pathology. For all cases, we collected and analyzed information regarding clinico-radiological features, surgical procedures, and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Nine consecutive patients (four men, five women, mean age: 38.8 years) presented with a conjunction of DLGG and another disease: two cases of vestibular schwannoma, two pituitary adenomas, two meningiomas, one lymphoma, one arteriovenous malformation, and one case of multiple sclerosis. The DLGG was diagnosed because of seizures in four patients and incidentally in the other five patients. The average delay between the diagnosis of the glioma and its resection was 40.8 months (range 1-84 months). The mean follow-up after surgery was 43 months (6-120 months). Gross-total or subtotal resection was achieved in all cases. There were no cases of mortality or permanent morbidity associated with surgery. The Karnofsky Performance Scale score was 90 or 100 in all cases. The associated pathology was treated surgically in three cases, medically in four cases, and tracked under observation in two cases. These intracranial diseases, especially meningiomas and pituitary adenomas, might have a significant higher risk to be associated with DLGGs in comparison with their incidence and prevalence in the general population.

CONCLUSIONS

Active management of this rare, dual pathology allows patients to enjoy a normal and prolonged quality of life. We therefore suggest considering early and maximal surgical resection as the first therapeutic option for DLGGs combined with another intracranial disease, as is done in the case of isolated DLGGs.

29 Year-old man with new onset seizures

Imaging of a 29-year-old man with seizures showed a frontal lobe mass with curvilinear narrow calcifications, cystic components and multiple flow-voids. An AVM was considered. A DSA confirmed the hypervascular nature of the lesion. It was resected and microscopic examination showed an anaplastic oligodendroglioma remarkable for a diffuse and hypertrophic vasculature with areas of frank vascular proliferation. The marked vascularity seen on the MRI, the gyriform calcifications and the cystic degeneration are all features which can be encountered in an AVM. This case illustrates that highly vascular malignant gliomas can simulate vascular lesions by radiology and may require an angiogram for diagnosis.

Glioblastoma with the appearance of arteriovenous malformation: pitfalls in diagnosis

OBJECTIVES

Very few cases of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) associated with gliomas were reported so far in the literature.

METHODS

Here, we report a rare case of a glioblastoma with an AVM-like lesion and review the existing literature.

RESULTS

We report an unusual case of a 72-year old woman, who presented with a progressive history of aphasia, memory deficit, and headache. Initial MRI imaging was suggestive of a high-grade glioma for which a pterional craniotomy was performed. Intraoperatively, the lesion resembled a vascular malformation. Total extirpation of the lesion was verified by intraoperative MR imaging. Initial histopathological analysis revealed an AVM. Due to the discrepancy between the radiologic and histopathologic findings, the patient was monitored at close intervals. Two month later, multiple lesions were visible on MRI imaging, thus, supporting the diagnosis of malignant glioma. Therefore, after reinvestigating the histopathological sections and cutting the paraffin block in additional serial sections, in only 5% of the section a glioblastoma was discerned which was surrounded by an AVM-like lesion.

CONCLUSION

Gliomas are rarely found in association with AVMs and require accurate diagnostic evaluation and interpretation for adequate therapeutic interventions.