Brain, Angiomatous meningioma

Details
Disease Category
Gender
Age
65 years
Organ System/Discipline
Diagnosis
Meningioma, angiomatous variant
Clinical History

Presented with alterations in personality. Imaging showed a 3-4cm right frontal mass with extensive vasculature.

Case Discussion

Meningiomas are neoplasms of meningothelial differentiation which can arise throughout the CNS. They are generally found in older adults with peak incidence in 60-70 year olds and most are sporadic. On imaging they often exhibit extension along the dura (dural tail). There are a 3 grades of meningioma as classified by the WHO - grade I (typical), II (atypical), III (anaplastic). Genetic risk factors include neurofibromatosis 2 and schwannomatosis. The clinical presentation of meningioma is location dependent but common symptoms are headache, seizures, visual changes, personality changes, and paresis. Treatment ranges from observation, surgery, to radiation. Most low grade meningiomas have good prognosis.

Meningioma exhibits many different histological subtypes, some of which are associated with higher grading. Clear cell and chordoid meningiomas are automatically classified as grade II, while rhabdoid and papillary ones are grade III. All the others are usually grade I in the absence of atypical features. Atypical features to look for include >=4 mitoses/10 hpf, brain invasion, or 3 of the following: small cell change, prominent nucleoli, spontaneous necrosis, hypercellularity, and patternless sheeting growth.

This is an angiomatous variant, which in most cases is WHO grade I. Angiomatous meningioma can mimic vascular malformations and hemangioblastoma both on imaging and histology. Unlike hemangioblastoma, the angiomatous meningioma will be positive for EMA (can be focal) and negative for inhibin.

Image Contributors
Wang, T., Aldape, K.

Cite

Wang, T., Aldape, K. Brain, Angiomatous meningioma. Digital Laboratory Medicine Library, Dept of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto. Published . Accessed December 17, 2025. https://dev.dlml.cflabs.ca/image/brain-angiomatous-meningioma-lmp32910