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Inflammatory Pseudotumor of the Brain Parenchyma with IgG4 Hypergammaglobulinemia
Haruko Tanji1, Hiroaki Okada, Ryosuke Igari
1Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
This case study presents a rare instance of brain lesions with elevated immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) levels, responsive to steroid treatment. Further research is needed to clarify IgG4
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- A 58-year-old woman presented with neurological deficits including sensory aphasia and right hemiparesis.
- Laboratory findings revealed elevated serum IgG and IgG4, pancytopenia, and liver dysfunction, with abdominal imaging suggestive of sclerosing cholangitis.
Observation:
- Brain MRI demonstrated extensive signal abnormalities and an enhancing lesion in the left hemisphere.
- Brain biopsy showed inflammatory infiltrates, predominantly IgG-positive plasma cells, with sparse IgG4-positive cells.
Findings:
- The patient's neurological symptoms and MRI abnormalities significantly improved after betamethasone treatment.
- Histopathological findings did not meet the diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related disease.
Implications:
- This is the first reported case of tumefactive brain lesions with elevated serum IgG4 responsive to steroids.
- More case reports with detailed pathological analysis are crucial for understanding the role of IgG4 in related disorders.
Abstract:
A 58-year-old woman with a 1-month history of right hand clumsiness and speaking difficulty was admitted to our hospital. A neurological examination revealed sensory aphasia and right hemiparesis. Her laboratory tests showed elevated serum levels of IgG and IgG4, pancytopenia, and liver dysfunction. The results of the imaging studies of her abdomen were compatible with sclerosing cholangitis. Brain MRI showed extensive signal abnormalities in the left hemisphere on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, extending from left internal capsule to the cerebral peduncle with an irregularly enhancing lesion in the left parietal lobe. A brain biopsy revealed lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltration and reactive gliosis. Most of the plasma cells were IgG positive; however, IgG4-positive plasma cells were sparsely observed. After the initiation of betamethasone treatment, her symptoms and the brain MRI abnormalities showed significant improvement. The brain biopsy results did not meet the current criteria of IgG4-related disease. This is the first reported case of a tumefactive lesion of the brain parenchyma with serum IgG4 elevation, which was responsive to steroid treatment. The accumulation of a greater number of reports on the pathological investigation of cases of possible IgG4-related disease may help to elucidate the exact role of IgG4 in IgG4-related disorders.
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