[Gangliogliomas in cerebral hemisphere]

Gangliogliomas are rare central nervous system neoplasms. The clinical features, radiological findings and surgical results in 6 histologically proven cases of gangliogliomas in the cerebral hemisphere are reviewed. The ages varied between 8 and 58 years old at the time of diagnosis. Five patients had seizure disorders without focal neurological deficit or clinical signs of increased intracranial pressure. These 5 patients had been treated as epilepsy for 6 months to 12 years. The other one patient had right sided motor weakness and left homonymous hemianopsia without seizure disorder. Plain roentgenograms of the skull revealed abnormal calcification in 3 out of 6 patients. Angiography showed an avascular mass in all 6 patients. CT scan were examined in 5 patients. In 3 patients the tumor were isodense, 2 of which demonstrated contrast enhancement. The other 2 showed low density lesion. One showed a single large cyst and another ill-defined low density containing high density calcification. In all 5 patients mass effect was slight. Three tumors were located in the temporal lobe and another 3 in the parietal lobe. At surgery total removal was accomplished in 3 patients. One patient had subtotal removal and 3 patients partial removal. Histological study revealed figures characteristic to the ganglioglioma. The predominant glial cell was astrocytic in 4 cases and oligodendroglial component was found in the other 2 cases. All patients either completely or nearly asymptomatic at the follow up for 1 to 12 years. The clinical study in 6 cases, along with a review of the literature suggest that these epileptogenic neoplasms should be aimed at surgical removal or total extirpation if possible.