[Gliomatosis cerebri: report of 3 cases and review of recent literatures]

Abstract

Gliomatosis cerebri is a rare tumor of the central nervous system characterized by widespread diffuse infiltration of the brain and spinal cord by neoplastic glial cells. The diagnosis of gliomatosis cerebri with MR imaging remains difficult. We presented three interesting cases of gliomatosis cerebri. Case 1 showed transformation from type 1 gliomatosis cerebri to type 2. Case 2 showed that the initial thalamic lesion extended into brain stem, cerebellar hemisphere and right cerebral hemisphere. After radiation therapy, the right cerebral cortex demonstrated hyperintensity on T1- and hypointensity on T2-weighted image. These two cases did not demonstrate diffuse brain swelling or indistinctness of gray/white matter border on the first MR imaging. Case 3 showed two histological components of oligodendroglioma in the corpus callosum and astrocytoma in the cingulate gyrus. Case 3 improved in response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy using procarbazine/MCNU/vincristine (MVP). We also reviewed recent literatures.