Primary anaplastic large cell lymphoma of central nervous system--a case report

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is extremely rare in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Primary ALCL of CNS on radiology is often misdiagnosed as tuberculosis. We report a fatal case of primary ALCL of CNS in a 17 year old male. He came with history of headache and left partial seizures. MRI showed a well- circumscribed lesion in the right fronto-parietal lobe eroding the skull bone. Biopsy showed large pleomorphic cells. Immunohistochemical stains showed positivity for CD30, CD43, EMA and ALK-1. In spite of radiotherapy and steroids, patient expired. Hence a high level of suspicion is essential for early diagnosis and for instituting appropriate treatment.