Primary calvarial meningioma

Darweesh Al-Khawaja1, Rajmohan Murali, Paul Sindler

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Building 1, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, Sydney, New South Wales 2751, Australia. othmandarweesh@yahoo.com.au

Insights

Primary intraosseous meningioma, a rare skull tumor, can present as an expanding scalp mass. Surgical removal and reconstruction effectively resolved symptoms in a patient misdiagnosed with encephalocele.

Area of Science:

  • Neurosurgery
  • Oncology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Primary intraosseous meningiomas of the skull are rare tumors.
  • These tumors can present as slowly expanding scalp masses, potentially mimicking other conditions.

Observation:

  • A 50-year-old male presented with a growing scalp mass and worsening headaches, initially misdiagnosed as encephalocele.
  • Imaging revealed skull expansion with osteolysis and brain herniation through a dural defect.

Findings:

  • The patient underwent surgical excision, dural repair, and mesh cranioplasty.
  • Histological examination confirmed a World Health Organization (WHO) grade I meningioma.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering rare diagnoses like intraosseous meningioma in patients with unexplained skull masses.
  • Successful surgical management can lead to complete symptom resolution and favorable outcomes for WHO grade I meningiomas.

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