Clinical and MRI findings in three dogs with polycystic meningiomas

J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2012 Sep-Oct;48(5):331-8. doi: 10.5326/JAAHA-MS-5774. Epub 2012 Jul 27.

Abstract

One spayed female Labrador retriever and two castrated male golden retrievers were evaluated for chronic (i.e., ranging from 3 wk to 24 wk) neurologic signs localizable to the prosencephalon. Signs included seizures, circling, and behavior changes. MRI demonstrated extra-axial, contrast-enhancing, multiloculated, fluid-filled, cyst-like lesions with a mass effect, causing compression and displacement of brain parenchyma. Differential diagnoses included cystic neoplasm, abscess or other infectious cyst (e.g., alveolar hydatid cyst), or fluid-filled anomaly (e.g., arachnoid cyst). The cyst-like lesions were attached to the rostral falx cerebri in all cases. In addition, case 2 had a second polycystic mass at the caudal diencephalon. Surgical biopsy (case 3 with a single, rostral tumor via transfrontal craniectomy) and postmortem histology (in cases 1 and 2) confirmed polycystic meningiomas. Tumor types were transitional (cases 1 and 3) and fibrous (case 2), with positive immunohistochemical staining for vimentin. Case 3 was also positive for E-cadherin, s100, and CD34. In all cases, staining was predominantly negative for glial fibrillary acid protein and pancytokeratins, supporting a diagnosis of meningioma. This report describes the first cases of polycystic meningiomas in dogs. Polycystic meningiomas are a rare, but important, addition to the differential diagnoses for intracranial cyst-like lesions, significantly affecting planning for surgical resection and other therapeutic interventions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cysts / diagnosis
  • Cysts / surgery
  • Cysts / veterinary*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dog Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Dog Diseases / surgery
  • Dogs
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / veterinary*
  • Male
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • Meningioma / diagnosis
  • Meningioma / surgery
  • Meningioma / veterinary*