Abstract
Meningeal melanocytoma is a rare pigmented tumor of the leptomeningeal melanocytes. This rare entity results in diagnostic difficulty in imaging unless clinical and histopathology correlation is performed. In this case report, we describe a case of meningeal melanocytoma of the cervical region presenting with superficial siderosis. Extensive neuroradiological examination is necessary to locate the source of the bleeding in such patients. Usually, the patient will be cured by the complete surgical excision of the lesion.
Highlights
Meningeal melanocytoma is a rare tumour which arises from leptomeningeal melanocytes
The authors describe a case of meningeal melanocytoma of the cervical spine presenting as superficial siderosis of the central nervous system that was treated successfully with complete excision of the lesion by cervical laminectomy from C3 to C5 level
Melanocytes may cause primary melanocytic neoplasms which can be classified as melanocytoma, intermediate grade melanocytic neoplasms, and primary malignant melanoma
Summary
Meningeal melanocytoma is a rare tumour which arises from leptomeningeal melanocytes. The preoperative diagnosis of the meningeal melanocytoma is often a diagnostic challenge as the clinical and neurological features are often nonspecific. These tumors have better prognosis than their malignant counterparts [1]. They can present as diffuse disseminations within the subarachnoid spaces, space occupying solid masses within the central nervous system. They present as slowly growing mass lesions with focal neurological deficits due to the mass effect on the adjacent tissues [2]. Local recurrence and leptomeningeal spread of these tumors secondary to the malignant transformation are well reported in the literature [3]
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