MENINGOANGIOMATOSIS AND ANGIOMATOUS MENINGIOMA: QUIZ IN DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. A SERIES OF CASES

Abstract

Meningoangiomatosis is a rare benign lesion characterized by proliferation of blood vessels and meningothelial cells, often fusiform, which is sometimes accompanied by cortical dysplasia. Proliferation of vascular cells, pronounced cellularity and reactive gliosis may be misdiagnosed by a pathologist as invasive angiomatous meninigioma, which may lead to the postoperative radiation therapy. Immunohistochemical examination can help in the differentiation and exclusion of other diseases, such as meningioma and schwannoma. There are certain histopathological and clinical features of angiomatous meningioma, i.e. meningiomas whose vascular component exceeds 50 % of the total tumor area. Accurate differential diagnosis of meningoangiomatosis and angiomatous meningioma is important, since the correct recognition of pathology will not lead to overly aggressive postoperative treatment, as radiation therapy or chemotherapeutic treatment as in the case of meningioma.