Pamela Van Tassel

Plasma cell granuloma of the nasal cavity treated by radiation therapy

Plasma cell granuloma is a rare, benign tumor most commonly found in the lungs in patients younger than 30 years. Although presentation has been reported at a number of other anatomic sites, this report is the first of plasma cell granuloma of the nasal cavity. The tumor was initially resected, but progression was seen at 1‐month follow‐up. Because further surgery to completely eradicate the tumor would have been extensive and disfiguring, 40‐Gy external beam radiation was given in 20 fractions using a three‐field wedge technique. Most recent clinical follow‐up at 27 months showed local control. Surgery remains the treatment of choice for plasma cell granuloma when the disease can be completely resected. However, irradiation can also be effective in patients with recurrent or inoperable local disease.

Case report 680

Two cases of intraosseous meningioma of the calvaria with hyperostosis are presented and compared with the appearance on plain films and CT of en plaque meningioma, metastatic disease from such primary sites as prostatic cancer, and fibrous dysplasia. It is emphasized that intraosseous meningioma in the calvaria is relatively uncommon, occurring most often in the sphenoid bone (probably because of its numerous articulations). The relationship of the development of intraosseous meningioma to the entrapment of dura containing arachnoid cells is discussed in considering the cause of such lesions, and it is stressed that calvarial fractures and cranial sutures may contribute to the entrapment of arachnoidal tissue and later the formation of a meningioma.

Supratentorial ependymomas: Computed tomographic and pathologic correlations

Of a total of 52 cases of ependymomas, 38 were intracranial, with 15 being supratentorial and 23 infratentorial. Pre- and postoperative computed tomographic scans were correlated with surgical pathologic findings in four cases of supratentorial ependymomas. Pathologic specimens were analyzed from another four cases for which only postoperative scans were available. Seven cases had no computed tomographic studies, but pathology reports were available. Common computed tomography findings for these tumors included para- or intraventricular location, one or more cystic areas within the tumor, and calcifications within the lesion or around its periphery. Proven subependymal spread of tumor was evident by computed tomography in one case. Mixing of ependymoma with oligodendroglioma was present in four cases and with both oligodendroglioma and astrocytoma in two cases. Microscopic calcifications were more frequently seen in ependymomas that were mixed with oligodendroglioma.