Pediatric Diffuse Leptomeningeal Glioneuronal Tumor

  • Etiology: Tumor involving the meninges which often does not have a parenchymal component
  • Imaging MRI:
    — Often there is no dominant primary parenchymal brain mass
    — T1WI post contrast: Diffuse thick nodular leptomeningeal thickening and enhancement particularly around the basilar cisterns and extending over the surface of the brain and spinal cord
  • DDX:
  • Complications:
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical:
    — Presents with hydrocephalus due to accumulation of tumor in subarachnoid space
    — Rare tumor

Radiology Cases of Diffuse Leptomeningeal Glioneuronal Tumor

MRI of diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor
Sagittal T1 MRI without contrast of the spine (above left) shows a focal protruberant intramedullary mass in the spinal cord at C7 and T1 that is hyperintense on sagittal T2 MRI (above center) and that on the sagittal T1 MRI with contrast (above right) enhances minimally. There is also thick leptomeningeal enhancement anterior and posterior to the cervical spine. The sagittal T1 MRI with contrast of the brain (below) shows thick leptomeningeal enhancement of the brain, particularly around the basal cisterns.