Neuromyelitis optica with brainstem lesion mistaken for brainstem glioma. Case report

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a severe demyelinating syndrome defined principally by its tendency to affect optic nerves and the spinal cord selectively. Asymptomatic brain lesions have recently become a common finding in NMO, and symptomatic brain lesions do not exclude the diagnosis of this entity. The authors describe the case of a 12-year-old girl suffering from an unusually atypical form of NMO in which a brainstem lesion was mistaken for a brainstem glioma. Brainstem involvement in NMO exhibits variable features on neuroimaging and is confused with brainstem glioma in cases of extensive brainstem involvement in childhood. Careful differential diagnosis and proper treatment are vital for a favorable prognosis.