gms | German Medical Science

Objective: To report our experience with the case of grossly calcified Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor in Cerebellum (DNET)

Method: In our study we report a case of a 31-year-old male with headache and ataxia during the last six months. His neurological examination revealed no deficit. Magnetic resonance imaging with contrast enhancement showed well demarcated, heterogenously enhanced and disseminated signal void areas resembling hemorrhage with 35x45x56 mm dimensions of right cerebellar mass partially compressing to the brain stem. He underwent to limited craniectomy of posterior fossa and total removal of the tumor was accomplished by piece meal fashion. His postoperative period was uneventful and he was discharged from hospital on 10^th day postoperatively. Histological examination showed small glial cells, oligodendrocytes-like, lying in an eosinophilic alveolar matrix with some floating neurons and extensive areas of calcification. His pathological report was Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor.

Results: Here we report an unusual case demonstrating that DNET may present as a totally calcified tumor of infratentorial localization.

Conclusions: DNET is a benign neoplasm of supratentorial region typically. Our case has unique findings because of the location and gross calcification of the tumor. Only four cases of cerebellar DNET and a few cases of DNETs that present gross calcification have been reported in the literature. To our knowledge, both findings in the same tumor have not been reported so far.