Ganglioneurocytoma mimicking a malignant tumor: case report with a literature review of the MRI appearance of neurocytomas and gangliogliomas

A 14-year-old girl presented with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure after her head was squeezed at a party. MRI demonstrated a mass that was hypointense to brain on T1WI and heterogeneous in signal on PD and T2WI; compression of the ventricle, midline shift, and mild ventriculomegaly also were present. Contrast enhancement was extensive and heterogeneous, mimicking a malignant tumor. Neuropathology revealed a ganglioneurocytoma.

Olfactory hallucinations during migraine in an adolescent with an MRI temporal lobe lesion

OBJECTIVE

To report the first example of an abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test in a patient with migraine and olfactory hallucinations and to provide additional evidence for a possible role of the temporal lobe in migraine.

BACKGROUND

The relationship between the temporal lobe and migraine with or without hallucinations is unclear and continues to evolve. Clinical and functional neuroimaging studies (positron emission tomography/single photon emission computed tomography) have lent support to the possibility of a relationship. Anatomical neuroimaging with computed tomography has previously been normal.

METHODS

The history and findings of an adolescent with migraine and olfactory hallucinations is reported.

RESULTS

Brain MRI demonstrated a mass in the temporal lobe.

CONCLUSIONS

Magnetic resonance imaging should be considered in patients with olfactory hallucinations and migraine. In addition, the role of the temporal lobe in migraine warrants further study.

Adolescent chronic paroxysmal hemicrania responsive to verapamil monotherapy

Two teenage girls with chronic paroxysmal hemicrania demonstrated dramatic yet incomplete improvement with indomethacin. Verapamil monotherapy provided nearly complete cessation of headaches.

Prolonged survival of two anencephalic infants

Two infants with anencephaly survived for 7 and 10 months without the need for prolonged assisted mechanical ventilation. One infant prospectively fulfilled all four criteria of the Medical Task Force on Anencephaly, making diagnosis almost certain. Prolonged survival of anencephalic infants is important not only to provide adequate counseling, but also for its relevance to organ transplantation.

Familial intracranial hypertension: report of a case and review of the literature

A mother and daughter are presented who had intracranial hypertension 5 years apart. Possible contributing factors were the presence of obesity and occasional asthma in both. A review of the literature reveals three other families with intracranial hypertension occurring in successive generations (suggesting autosomal dominant transmission) and four families with intracranial hypertension occurring in siblings (suggesting autosomal recessive transmission). No reported cases of familial intracranial hypertension have revealed a contributing cause.