Melanotic progonoma of temporal and occipital bones: A case report

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy arising from the skull: report of an unusual case, review of the literature, and a diagnostic approach

INTRODUCTION

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy is a rare neoplasm mainly seen in children under 1 year of life. The most common location of the tumor is the maxilla followed by the cranial vault. Surgery is the treatment of choice and outcome mainly depends on extent of resection.

OBJECTIVES

To report an atypical case of an 8-year-old patient with a melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy, to review the cases with melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy arising from the skull published over the last 13 years, and to provide a diagnostic approach that may allow recognition of a pattern in these rare neoplastic lesions.

METHODS

A case is reported with a description of the clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological features. Additionally, the literature was reviewed to identify reports of patients with melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy arising from the cranial vault and all cases published in PubMed over the last 13 years were included. Only studies that evaluated clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological findings were included.

CONCLUSION

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy is a rare entity that may present with unusual features, but nevertheless has an identifiable pattern that allows the tumor to be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracranial space-occupying lesions in children.

Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy with Involvement of the Superior Sagittal Sinus

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare lesion that typically manifests in the first year of life, most commonly involving the facial bones. We present 2 infants with MNTI involving the posterior skull with associated compression of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS). A review of the anatomical locations of MNTI is offered, and the implications of SSS involvement are described. This represents the first known description of MNTI with involvement of the posterior SSS.