[A case of deep sylvian meningioma presenting temporal lobe epilepsy]

A rare case of deep sylvian meningioma is presented. A 62-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of one year history of temporal lobe epilepsy. She had no neurological deficit except for EEG abnormality. CT scans showed a small calcified mass in the left temporal lobe adjacent to the sylvian fissure with no enhancement by contrast medium. The mass was low-intense in both T1- and T2-weighted MR images. The T1-weighted image after the infusion of gadolinium revealed enhancement of the middle cerebral artery adjacent to the mass, similar to dural tail sign. Left external carotid angiography did not show any tumor stain nor the dilatation of the middle meningeal artery. Left internal carotid angiography disclosed enlarged middle cerebral artery without tumor stain. A left frontotemporal craniotomy was performed and the mass was totally removed. The tumor was located deep in sylvian fissure without any connection to the dura or ventricular system, which was firmly adherent to the middle cerebral artery. The histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed a psammomatous meningioma. Meningiomas are believed to originate from the arachnoid cap cells and can arise from various intracranial locations where arachnoid cap cells exist. The majority of them are attached to the dura, choroid plexus, or the tela choroidea. Only eleven cases of deep sylvian meningiomas have been presented in the literature. We have reviewed the clinical and radiological findings in such meningiomas. MR findings in deep sylvian meningioma have not been described.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)