Multiple Spinal Metastases of Anaplastic Meningioma: A Case Report

Abstract

Meningiomas are primary benign tumors that occur in intracranial and intraspinal regions. Rarely, atypical and anaplastic meningiomas exhibit malignant tendencies and can metastasize. A 56-year-old female patient visited the hospital complaining of a dull headache, mild dysarthria, sudden onset of blurred vision, and mild weakness in the left upper limbs. A homogeneously augmented mass was revealed in the right temporal lobe following magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and was determined to be an anaplastic meningioma after surgical resection. During follow-up, revision surgery was performed due to the recurrence of the primary tumor. After the revision surgery, the patient complained of new symptoms, which included paresthesia and muscle weakness in the right lower extremity. MRI revealed a mass in the cervical and lumbar vertebrae suspected to have been metastasized. Another revision surgery was conducted on the intracranial primary tumor. The tumor was resected from the cervical and lumbar vertebrae. Histopathology revealed that they were all anaplastic meningiomas. Although anaplastic meningioma is rare, it can cause extracranial metastases. This case shows that multiple spinal metastases of anaplastic meningioma require considerable attention in diagnosis and treatment.