Subarachnoid haemorrhage due to widely metastatising malignant ependymoma

A case of a widely metastasing malignant ependymoma in a 35-year-old man is reported. The first and most impressive clinical feature was a massive subarachnoid bleed with rapidly developing spinal cord compression due to widespread metastases over the cord and the cauda equina. The cerebral ependymoma was finally shown on a CT scan. Subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by malignant spinal deposits seems to be exceedingly rare. Finally, some problems of classification concerning the malignant forms of ependymoma are discussed.