Surgical resection of osteolytic calvarial lesions: clinicopathological features

Calvarial hemangiomas: Series of 6 cases and review of literature

Calvarial haemangiomas are benign, vascular tumours of the skull involving parietal and frontal bones. Mostly these lesions remain asymptomatic, and present with cosmetic deformity, headache, uncommon neurological symptoms and reported as case reports and case series. The radiological appearance can range from sessile growing intradiploically to globular and the lesions may extend outwards or inwards after eroding the outer and inner tables of the skull. "Sunburst appearance" and "Wagon-wheel sign" are classical radiological findings but the lesions may present simply as a lytic expansile or even sclerotic calvarial mass. Because of varied clinical presentation and atypical radiological characteristics, the final diagnosis can be clinched by histology only. In selected cases where these lesions are not cosmetically acceptable, en bloc resection with tumour free margins followed by cranioplasty is the treatment of choice. Most reports of calvarial haemangiomas in literature are in the form of case reports.

Varied Clinical Presentation and Management of Calvarial Metastases

Calvarium and skull base can be affected by a variety of benign, tumor-like, and malignant processes. Skull metastases (SMs) may be located in any layer of the skull and may be incidental or present with neurological symptoms during the diagnostic workup. In the present study, we discuss the occurrence of SMs from various index malignancies and their myriad clinical presentation. This data-based study includes patients of bone metastases between June 2018 and July 2020. Patients with skull bone metastases were recognized, and location of primary site, their clinical presentation, and management strategy were noted. Ten patients with skull bone metastases were identified during this period. Four patients had skull base location with clinical manifestation as syndromes. Six patients had primary from breast cancer, three from Ewing's sarcoma, and one from lung cancer. Management varied according to the primary site and symptoms of each patient. SM, though not rare, is often diagnosed incidentally but presents diagnostic and management challenges in the patient with cancer.

Calvarial Langerhans cell histiocytosis in an adult presenting rapid growth

Background

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) arising in the skull is rare in adulthood.

Case Description

A 58-year-old woman experienced a durable headache. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at presentation showed no abnormalities; however, MRI and computed tomography (CT) performed 6 weeks later revealed the emergence of a well-demarcated, heterogeneously enhancing calvarial tumor accompanied by irregular-shaped bone erosion. On MRI, the temporalis muscle and subcutaneous tissue adjacent to the tumor were extensively swollen and enhanced. The patient underwent en bloc resection. The microscopic appearance of the tumor was consistent with that of LCH. Postoperative systemic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT did not detect any abnormal accumulation.

Conclusion

LCH may develop within a short period. It should be considered as a differential diagnosis when a rapidly growing calvarial tumor is encountered, even when the patient is an adult. Prompt histological verification is recommended in such cases.

Primary Intraosseous Osteolytic Meningioma with Aggressive Clinical Behaviour: Clinico-Pathologic Correlation and Proposed New Clinical Classification

(1) Introduction: Primary intraosseous osteolytic meningiomas (PIOM) are non-dural-based tumors predominantly presenting an osteolytic component with or without hyperostotic reactions. They are a subset of primary extradural meningiomas (PEM). In this study, we present a peculiar case with a systematic literature review and propose a new classification considering the limitations of previous classification systems. (2) Materials and Methods: Using a systematic search protocol in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases, we extracted all case studies on PIOM published from inception to December 2020. A 46-year-old female patient form Dhaka, Bangladesh, was also described. The search protocol was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. (3) Results: Here, we present a 46-year-old female patient with PIOM who successfully underwent bifrontal craniotomy and gross total removal (GTR) of the tumor. At 6-month follow-up, no tumor recurrence was shown. Including our new case, 55 total cases from 47 articles were included in the analysis. PIOMs were in closer frequency among males (56.4%) and females (43.6%). The most common tumor location was the frontal and parietal calvarium, most commonly in the frontal bone (29.1%). Surgical resection was the predominant modality of treatment (87.3%); only 1.8% of patients were treated with radiotherapy, and 5.4% received a combination of surgery and radiotherapy. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 80% of cases. Extracranial extension was reported in 41.8% of cases, dural invasion in 47.3%, and recurrence in 7.3%. Whole-body 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT has also been reported as a useful tool both for differential diagnosis, radiotherapy contouring, and follow-up. Current treatments such as hydroxyurea and bevacizumab have variable success rates. We have also suggested a new classification which would provide a simple common ground for further research in this field. (4) Conclusions: Surgical resection, especially GTR, is the treatment of choice for PIOM, with a high GTR rate and low risk of complications and mortality. More research is needed on the differential diagnosis and specific treatment of PIOM.

Fronto-orbito-ethmoidal intradiploic meningiomas: A case study with systematic review

Background

Primary intradiploic meningiomas, extra-axial tumors arising primarily in the skull, are rare. The authors reported a complex case of intradiploic intraosseous metaplastic meningioma of the left medial wall and orbital roof with the left frontal sinus invasion and left ethmoidal body bone substitution. The authors also conducted a systematic review concerning diagnosis and management of patients affected by purely calvarial intradiploic meningiomas along with a focus on fronto-orbito-ethmoidal ones.

Methods

A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis statement and with the following Mesh terms: Intradiploic, intraosseous, calvarial, and meningioma. Eligibility criteria were limited by the nature of existing literature on intradiploic meningiomas, consisting of only case series, and case reports.

Results

A total of 128 published studies were identified through our search. 41 studies were included in this systematic review, 59 patients with a female/male ratio of 1.2/1. The mean age of the patients is of 47.69 years (range 3-84 years). Only seven out of 59 patients (11.9%) presented a complex intradiploic meningioma located in fronto-orbito-ethmoidal region like our case. In almost all patients, a gross-total resection was performed (96.6%) and only in two patients (3.4%) a subtotal resection was achieved.

Conclusion

The authors shared this successfully treated case to add to the overall clinical experience in the management of this rare subtype tumor, with the hope that more studies are conducted to further address the mechanism of intradiploic meningiomas development.

Calvarial lesions: overview of imaging features and neurosurgical management

Calvarial lesions are rare and can present as a variety of different diseases. The lesions can be palpable on the skin and cause local pain and paraesthesia and, depending on the location, neurological deficits can also occur. This research aims to present an overview of typical imaging features as well as neurosurgical management. We examined the charts of patients who underwent surgery on a calvarial lesion in our department between 2004 and 2017 (n=133). Retrospectively, the pre-, intra-, and postoperative data were analyzed with morphological and histological findings and compared with each other. Pain, swelling, cosmetically disturbing, and neurological deficits were the main complaints. Seventy-seven lesions were limited to the bone, while another 56 lesions showed an infiltrating growth in the adjacent tissue. Depending on the clinical signs and suspected diagnosis, a biopsy, a partial removal, or a complete resection was performed. Histiocytosis (n=20), meningiomas (n=20), metastases (n=19), and osteomas (n=16) were the most common lesions. Fibrous dysplasia (n=6) and intraosseous hemangioma (n=9) were less common; other lesions were present only in isolated cases. Imaging features may suggest the lesion to be benign or malignant, but the diagnosis can be only confirmed by histological examination. The surgical strategy depends on the complaints, location of the lesion, and suspected diagnosis. Adjuvant treatment should be initiated according to the histological findings.

Primary intraosseous meningioma of the calvarium: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Primary intraosseous meningiomas (PIM) of calvarial origin are a small subset of meningiomas that arise from and occur within the calvarial bone. Its definition is often confused with other forms of non-dural based intracranial meningiomas, which has made previously published retrospective reviews heterogenous, non-specific and sometimes inaccurate. We present a systematic review of calvarial PIM.

METHODS

Using a systematic search protocol that included databases such as PubMed, Web of Science and Embase, we extracted all human studies on PIM published from inception to December 2017. This systematic review includes case reports and retrospective reviews that specifically described PIM.

RESULTS

On review of 166 articles identified with the systematic search protocol, 69 articles were analyzed. These comprised of 64 case reports, 1 case series and 4 retrospective reviews. 111 patients with PIM of calvarial origin were analyzed, 58 % of which were females and 42 % males. The mean patient age was 51 years and the frontal bone was the most common tumor location, occurring in 26.1 % of the cases. Surgical resection was the predominant modality of treatment in 97.2 % of the cases, and gross total resection was achieved in 84 % of cases that reported extent of resection. There were no recurrences for grade I meningiomas. However, all grade III meningiomas recurred and 33.3 % of grade II meningiomas showed recurrence with a mean postoperative follow-up interval of 20 months. Statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test showed the recurrence rate to be strongly associated with WHO tumor grade (p-value <0.001).

CONCLUSION

There is statistically significant increased recurrence rate for calvarial PIM of higher grades, and we recommend close follow-up in those cases. Surgical resection remains the overwhelming treatment of choice for calvarial PIM, and it has a high gross total resection rate and low risk of complications and mortality.

Primary intraosseous osteolytic meningioma: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Primary intraosseous meningioma is a subset of extradural meningioma that arises in the bone, and only a few cases have been reported to date.

CASE PRESENTATION

An 80-year-old man presented with decreased hearing on the right side accompanied by a disturbance of balance 10 months prior to admission. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an 8 × 7 cm osteolytic mass in the right posterior fossa related to the petrous bone, with extension to the cervical region. During surgery, the tumor was found to be located extradurally, with no invasion of the dura. The tumor was removed entirely, apart from a small portion around the jugular foramen to avoid lower cranial nerve injury.

CONCLUSION

The final diagnosis was primary intraosseous osteolytic meningioma with atypical pathology. Here, we report a rare case of an osteolytic skull lesion in the skull base not invading the dura and with extensive bone destruction.

Successful Treatment of Anal Canal Cancer Metastasis to the Cranial Bones: A Case Report and Literature Review

Single metastasis to the cranial bone represents a very uncommon occurrence that can arise from an anal canal cancer. No cases of cranial bone metastasis from anal canal carcinoma are available in the literature. Herein, we present a case of a unique metastatic lesion to the right parietal bone that occurred after curative chemoradiotherapy of primary squamous cell anal canal carcinoma. The patient received radiotherapy and systemic platinum-based chemotherapy, with optimal local control, high compliance and a well tolerable level of toxicity.

The Role of Neurosurgery in the Treatment of Intracranial Tumor-Like Inflammatory Lesions

BACKGROUND

Different inflammatory diseases can manifest as intracranial lesions. They may be indistinguishable from intracranial neoplasms in the clinical setting, imaging studies, or laboratory studies. The value of surgery in the diagnosis and the treatment of such lesions is still unclear.

METHODS

A total of 3066 reports of histopathologic examinations over a 10-year period were reviewed. Forty patients with an inflammatory intracranial lesion were identified. Clinical, radiologic, and follow-up data were analyzed and the diagnostic and therapeutic value of surgery was assessed.

RESULTS

We identified 24 women and 16 men (mean age, 47 years). The diameter of the lesion varied between 1 and 5.5 cm (mean, 2.6 cm). The location of the inflammatory lesion was intracerebral supratentorial (n = 18, 45%), intrasellar/suprasellar (n = 5, 12.5%), cerebellar (n = 5, 12.5%), in the brainstem (n = 4, 10%), in the cerebellopontine angle (n = 3, 7.5%), meningeal (n = 3, 7.5%), and at other locations (n = 6, 15%). Seventeen patients underwent surgical removal of the mass lesion, whereas in 23 patients a biopsy was taken. The lesions were classified into 7 groups: specific (infectious) granuloma (n = 10, 25%), unspecific granuloma (n = 7, 17.5%), idiopathic inflammatory pseudotumor (n = 5, 12.5%), demyelinating lesions (n = 5, 12.5%) encapsulated hematoma (n = 4, 10%), organized cerebral infarction (n = 3, 7.5%), and vasculitis (n = 4, 10%). Surgery was judged as valuable in 35 patients (87.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

The differential diagnosis of intracranial inflammatory lesions involves a wide spectrum. Surgery has a diagnostic and/or therapeutic value in most entities and clinical circumstances. However, attention must be taken to avoid surgery without a therapeutic or diagnostic value for the patient.

An Algorithm for Managing Intraosseous Vascular Anomalies of the Craniofacial Skeleton

BACKGROUND

Intraosseous vascular anomalies (IOVA) are rare in the craniofacial skeleton and present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. This study aims to describe the clinical management based on a large case series.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed and 9 IOVA were identified over a 15-year period. Data on demographics, diagnostic features, clinical management, and outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS

Five frontal bone IOVA and 4 orbital IOVA were identified. The postoperative follow-up ranged from 4 months to 4 years. All 9 lesions were diagnosed with computed tomography (CT) imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to delineate soft tissue involvement in 2 patients presenting with oculo-orbital dystopia and ophthalmoplegia. En bloc excision was performed in all patients. Preoperative interventional embolization was critical in the successful resection of an orbital IOVA following 2 previously failed attempts that were aborted secondary to hemorrhage. Intraoperative 3-dimensional stereotactic navigation was used for the accurate en bloc excision of a frontal IOVA to prevent injury to the frontal sinus. Reconstruction of esthetic and functional deformities was successfully accomplished.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of IOVA relies primarily on clinical assessment and CT imaging. Further interpretation of the involvement of periorbital, facial, and intracranial soft tissue is best defined by MRI. Multidisciplinary care with interventional radiology and neurosurgery must be considered for ensuring the safe and adequate en bloc excision of craniofacial IOVA.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis with seborrheic eczema of the scalp and extensive calvarial involvement

INTRODUCTION

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a multisystem disorder of unknown etiology and characterized by accumulation of histiocytes in various tissues.

CASE REPORT

A 3-year-old, previously healthy girl presented with progressive flattening of the parietal convexity for 6 months and seborrheic eczema of the scalp. At presentation, the patient showed no neurological deficit. The eczemas were extensively distributed over the scalp, but not found in any other site of the body. Blood examination revealed a marked increase in soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels. Neuroimages revealed multiple calvarial defects that were replaced by well-demarcated, enhancing extracerebral masses. A biopsy surgery confirmed the diagnosis as LCH.

CONCLUSION

LCH may cause progressive calvarial defects. If seborrheic eczemas are concurrent, they may suggest prompt histological verification and treatments be initiated.

Variation in large ectocranial lesions from pre-Columbian Kuelap, Peru

This paper analyses a diverse collection of previously undescribed cranial lesions observed from 42 individuals from the pre-Columbian site of Kuelap, eastern montane, Peru. I describe the presence of cranial lesions, their location on the vault location, shape, and size of affected area, and evidence of remodeling. Seventeen percent of the total cranial sample demonstrates similar superficial cranial lesions including males (25/117, 21.4%) and females (14/74, 18.9%), and adolescents (3/27, 11%). Most lesions are narrow ovals or long and leaf-shaped, with depression of the external cranial vault. While some are well-healed and smooth-surfaced, others are more irregular with variable degrees of remodeling. The highest frequency is on the superior and posterior aspects of the vault, usually along the sagittal plane. Differential diagnoses are considered but no single pathology is clear for all cases. There are some common features consistent with active and healing osteitis and a few are directly associated with trepanation. General patterning suggests intentional treatment, perhaps even possible cauterization of scalp injuries or healed infections. These large cranial "scars" have not been observed at coastal Peruvian sites and may reflect specific regional conditions related to highland environmental factors, local medical treatments of cranial injuries, or population specific malformations.

Isolated Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Bone Lesion in Pediatric Patients: Systematic Review and Treatment Algorithm

OBJECTIVE

The present study reviewed all cases reported of isolated Langerhans cell histiocytosis bone lesions in the head and neck of pediatric patients. The objective was to create a treatment algorithm to facilitate the diagnosis and management of these lesions.

DATA SOURCES

Eligible articles were identified through a comprehensive search of the following electronic databases: PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library.

REVIEW METHODS

Two authors independently reviewed the titles and abstracts retrieved by the electronic search concordant with the criteria for study eligibility. The lists of articles from each author were jointly reviewed and a common list created. All relevant articles were reviewed in hard copies and as full texts to justify inclusion.

RESULTS

A total of 201 patients (67% male, mean age: 8.1 ± 4.3 years) were included from 45 studies. Clinical presentations included swelling (64%), pain (9%), or both (18%). The skull (61%) and the orbit (24%) were the most common location for isolated bone lesions in the head and neck. The most frequently documented management option was resection, followed by observation, chemotherapy, and intralesional steroid injection.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to its rarity and variability in presentation and severity, treatment of these lesions has yet to be standardized. Based on the review, a diagnosis and treatment algorithm was created for head and neck surgeons when encountering these types of lesions.

POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, multiple myeloma and skin changes) with cranial vault plasmocytoma and the role of surgery in its management: a case report

INTRODUCTION

POEMS syndrome (an acronym of polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, multiple myeloma and skin changes) is a paraneoplastic disorder related to an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia. The development of such a syndrome is rare and its association with calvarial plasmocytoma is even less common, with only two previous reported cases. We describe, in detail, an unusual presentation of cranial plasmocytoma associated with POEMS syndrome and briefly discuss the possible role of surgery in the management of this disease.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present the case of a 45-year-old Caucasian man who was admitted to our department presenting with progressive weakness in his lower limbs, enlarged lymph nodes and a large mass on the scalp with intense bone erosion. POEMS criteria were present and pathological studies confirmed a Castleman's variant plasmocytoma. Clinical status improved noticeably after the excision of the plasmocytoma and the treatment was completed with radiotherapy and steroid pulse therapy.

CONCLUSION

Cranial vault plasmocytoma and its association with POEMS syndrome are rare conditions with few previously reported cases. Although the role of surgery is not clearly defined in POEMS syndrome guidelines, the fact that there seems to be a better prognosis and clinical outcome when surgery is used as a part of the management in POEMS syndrome with cranial vault plasmocytoma is worth discussing.