gliomatosis cerebri

Introduction

Diffuse neoplastic glial infiltration involving two or more cerebral lobes.

Epidemiology

• age range neonate to 83 years
• peak 40 - 50 years

Pathology

• diffuse growth pattern
• type I: diffuse growth and enlargement of involved structures; no clear tumor formation
• type II: presence of obvious mass (usually with malignant features) in addition to diffuse pattern
• malignant lesion corresponding to WHO grade III
• poor prognosis

Microscopic pathology

• may appear as low grade astrocytic neoplasm
• elongated glial cells resembling astrocytes, sometimes in parallel rows
• sometimes more obviously astrocytic/gemistocytic
• nuclei oval or fusiform, hyperchromatic
• mitoses variable
• microvascular proliferation usually absent

More general terms

• glial neoplasm (glioma)

Patient information

gliomatosis cerebri patient information