IMAGES IN NEUROLOGY

Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET): an uncommon location

Tumor neuroectodérmico primitivo supratentorial: uma localização incomum

Fabiano Reis^I; Guilherme Henrique Alves Vieira^IV; Fabio Rogerio^III; Marilisa Mantovani Guerreiro^V; Luciano de Souza Queiroz^II; Verônica de Araújo Zanardi^I

^IMD, PhD, Professor of the Department of Radiology of the Clinics Hospital of the State University of Campinas, Faculty of Medical Sciences (HC-FMC/UNICAMP), Campinas SP, Brazil
^IIMD, PhD, Professor of the Department of Pathology, HC-FMC/UNICAMP
^IIIMD, PhD, Assistant pathologist Department of Pathology, HC-FMC/UNICAMP
^IVMedical Student, Department of Radiology, HC-FMC/UNICAMP
^VMD, PhD, Full Professor of the Department of Neurology, HC-FMC/UNICAMP

Correspondence

A 10-year-old girl with headache. Diagnostic imaging demonstrated a right frontotemporal solid-cystic lesion, in the cortex and white matter, with a component with decrease in diffusion, attributed to high cellularity and nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, which may be seen in PNET or lymphoma^1,2. A high signal component on T1 and on T2 was observed (extracellular methaemoglobin), often seen in PNET.

Histological analysis led to the diagnosis of PNET .

Supratentorial PNETs are very rare². More than 50% occur in the first 5 years of life². Our case also merits attention because of the late age at presentation.

REFERENCES

1. Guo AC, Cummings TJ, Dash RC, Provenzale JM. Lymphomas and high-grade astrocytoma: comparison of water diffusibility and histologic characteristics. Radiology 2002;224:177-183.         [ Links ]

2. Klisch J, Husstedt H, Hennings S, Velthoven V, Pagenstecher A, Schumacher M. Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumours: diffusion-weighted MRI. Neuroradiology 2000;42:393-398.         [ Links ]

Correspondence:
Fabiano Reis
UNICAMP / Departamento de Radiologia
Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126
13083-887 Campinas SP - Brasil.
E-mail: fabianoreis2@gmail.com

Received 3 June 2011.
Accepted 21 June 2011.