Angiossarcoma metastático intra-axial do sistema nervoso central associado a anemia, tuberculose pulmonar e sobrevivência curta

Introduction: Angiosarcoma (AG) is a malignant mesenchymal neoplasm that pre- dominantly affects the soft tissues and, to variable degrees, expresses the morphological and functional characteristics of the endothelium. The incidence of sarcomas of the central nervous system (CNS) is low (0.5% to 2.7%), and AGs involving the brain are even rarer. Case Description A 45-year-old male patient presented with complaints of headache, nausea, and vomiting. An examination showed bilateral papilledema and a right lung pleurotomy. The patient’s previous history included drug addiction, pulmonary tuberculosis, lung abscess, pleural empyema, and pulmonary artery embolization for severe hemoptysis. Computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed a large intra-axial lesion extending into the right parietal and temporal lobes, with hemorrhagic zones. The patient underwent surgical resection of the lesion. Microscopy showed a poorly-differentiated, high-grade malignant tumor composed of plump/epithelioid cells forming small vascular spaces and solid nests, compatible with AG.In the postoperative period, the patient developed recurrent hemoptysis. A biopsy of the tissues adjacent to the pleurotomy determined the diagnosis of pulmonary AG. At 30 days after the resection, the patient died from hemoptysis, hemothorax, lung atelectasis, and intracranial hypertension related to the recurrence of the brain tumor. Conclusion: Angiosarcoma is a rare neoplasia related to short survival due to the high proliferative index, which must be considered in patients presenting hemorrhagic tumors. No specific genetic abnormalities have been described for this neoplasia.Introdução: O angiossarcoma (AG) é uma neoplasia mesenquimal maligna que afeta predominantemente os tecidos moles e, em graus variáveis, recapitula as características morfológicas e funcionais do endotélio. A incidência de sarcomas do sistema nervoso central (SNC) é baixa (0,5% a 2,7%), e os AGs envolvendo o cérebro são ainda mais raros. Descrição do Caso Paciente masculino, 45 anos, apresentou queixa de dor de cabeça, náusea e vômitos. O exame físico mostrou papiledema bilateral e pleurostomia à direita. A história prévia incluía drogadição, tuberculose pulmonar, abscesso pulmonar, empiema pleural e embolização da artéria pulmonar por hemoptise grave. A tomografia computadorizada / ressonância magnética revelou uma grande lesão intra-axial com zonas hemorrágicas que se estendia para os lobos parietal e temporal direitos. O paciente foi submetido à ressecção cirúrgica da lesão. A microscopia mostrou um tumor maligno de alto grau, pouco diferenciado, composto por células fusiformes / epitelioides, formando pequenos espaços vasculares e ninhos sólidos, compatíveis com AG. No pós-operatório, o paciente desenvolveu hemoptise recorrente. A biópsia dos tecidos adjacentes à pleurostomia determinou o diagnóstico de AG pulmonar. Após 30 dias da ressecção, o paciente faleceu por hemoptise, hemotórax, atelectasia pulmonar e hipertensão intracraniana relacionada à recorrência do tumor cerebral. Conclusão: A AG é uma neoplasia rara relacionada à curta sobrevida devido ao alto índice proliferativo, que deve ser considerada em pacientes com tumores hemorrágicos. Nenhuma anormalidade genética específica foi descrita para esta neoplasia

Ruptured aneurysm in the posterior communicating segment of carotid artery presenting with contralateral oculomotor nerve palsy

Background: Brain aneurysms are mostly discovered during the investigation of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Some patients present neurological signs that may suggest the aneurysm’s topography, and the oculomotor nerve palsy (ONP) of the same side of the aneurysm is the most common sign. Only one case report of contralateral palsy was previously described in the medical literature. Case Description: Authors describe a patient who presented a classic manifestation of SAH associated with complete ONP, whose vascular investigation demonstrated a brain aneurysm located in the contralateral intracranial carotid. The patient was surgically treated with great neurologic outcome, and late angiography did not evidence other vascular abnormalities. Conclusion: The ipsilateral ONP is a common sign found in posterior communicating artery aneurysms; however, such aneurysm can have different presentations due to the elevation of intracranial pressure, and, in rarer cases, the ONP cannot be operated as a localizing sign

Neuroparacoccidioidomicose multifocal de forma pseudotumoral em paciente imunocompetente : uma revisão clinicopatológica baseada em um relato de caso

Neuroparacoccidiodimycosis (NPDM) is an uncommon granulomatous disease, which more frequently affects immunocompromised male patients over 30 years of age in the course of chronic lung disease. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (PB) is an endemic fungus in Brazil, and grows as thick-walled yeast (with round to oval bodies) measuring 10 µm to 60 µm in diameter. Neuroparacoccidiodimycosi may develop many years after transmission and/or primary lung involvement. The authors describe a case of NPDM affecting a male patient, 52 years of age, farmer, heavy smoker, with clinical complaint of headache, asthenia, seizures, and prostration in the previous nine months. Upon physical examination, the patient presented regular general condition, without other relevant physical alterations. Computed tomography (CT) showed multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules associated to enlargement of the mediastinal lymph node. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scans of the central nervous system showed six heterogeneous nodular lesions compromising the frontal and parietal lobes, the largest one measuring 3.8 × 3.2 × 3.2 cm. The hypothesis of a neoplastic process compromising the lung and brain was considered. A biopsy of the mediastinal lymph node showed epithelioid granulomas, which exhibited round, thin-walled fungal structures in Grocott silver stain. The stereotactic biopsy of the frontal lesion was constituted by necrotic tissue admixed with some round to oval, thin-walled fungi measuring 10 µm to 60 µm, compatible with PB (identified on Grocott silver stain/confirmed in culture). The diagnosis of NPDM was then established. The employed therapeutic regimen was intravenous amphotericin B, itraconazole, and sulfamethoxazole-trimetropin. After ninety days of clinical follow-up, no episodes of seizures/neurological deficits were identified, and a marked decrease in the number and size of the lung and brain lesions were found.A neuroparacoccidiodimicose (NPDM) é uma doença granulomatosa incomum, que acomete mais freqüentemente pacientes imunocomprometidos do sexo masculino com mais de 30 anos, no curso de doença pulmonar crônica. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (PB) é um fungo endêmico no Brasil e cresce como levedura de parede espessa (com corpos arredondados a ovais) medindo 10–60 μm de diâmetro. A NPDM pode se desenvolver muitos anos após a transmissão e / ou envolvimento pulmonar primário. Os autores descrevem um caso de NPDM em paciente masculino, 52 anos, agricultor, tabagista pesado, com queixa clínica de cefaleia, astenia, convulsões e prostração nos últimos nove meses. Ao exame físico, o paciente apresentava estado geral regular, sem outras alterações físicas relevantes. A tomografia computadorizada (TC) mostrou múltiplos nódulos pulmonares bilaterais associados a linfonodomegalia mediastinal. A TC / ressonância magnética do sistema nervoso central revelou seis lesões nodulares heterogêneas comprometendo os lobos frontal e parietal, a maior delas medindo 3,8x3,2x3,2 cm. Foi considerada a hipótese do processo neoplásico comprometendo pulmão e cérebro. A biópsia de linfonodo mediastinal mostrou granulomas epitelioides, que exibiam estruturas fúngicas arredondadas e de paredes finas na coloração pela prata de Grocott. A biópsia estereotáxica da lesão frontal era constituída por tecido necrótico entremeado por algumas estruturas fúngicas redondas a ovais e de parede fina, medindo 10–60 μm, compatível com PB (identificado na coloração de prata Grocott / confirmado em cultura). O diagnóstico de NPDM foi então estabelecido. O esquema terapêutico empregado foi anfotericina B intravenosa, itraconazol e sulfametoxazol-trimetropina. Após 90 dias de acompanhamento clínico, nenhum episódio de convulsão / déficit neurológico foi identificado, e uma diminuição acentuada no número e tamanho das lesões pulmonares e cerebrais foi encontrada

Ruptured aneurysm in the posterior communicating segment of carotid artery presenting with contralateral oculomotor nerve palsy

Background: Brain aneurysms are mostly discovered during the investigation of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Some patients present neurological signs that may suggest the aneurysm’s topography, and the oculomotor nerve palsy (ONP) of the same side of the aneurysm is the most common sign. Only one case report of contralateral palsy was previously described in the medical literature. Case Description: Authors describe a patient who presented a classic manifestation of SAH associated with complete ONP, whose vascular investigation demonstrated a brain aneurysm located in the contralateral intracranial carotid. The patient was surgically treated with great neurologic outcome, and late angiography did not evidence other vascular abnormalities. Conclusion: The ipsilateral ONP is a common sign found in posterior communicating artery aneurysms; however, such aneurysm can have different presentations due to the elevation of intracranial pressure, and, in rarer cases, the ONP cannot be operated as a localizing sign