Published online Dec 6, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i34.12637
Peer-review started: June 30, 2022
First decision: August 4, 2022
Revised: September 16, 2022
Accepted: November 7, 2022
Article in press: November 7, 2022
Published online: December 6, 2022
Processing time: 154 Days and 22 Hours
An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) occurring in the central nervous system is very rare, and thus its pathogenesis is unknown. This case report and literature review aimed to explore the pathogenesis, clinical features, imaging findings, pathological characteristics, immunohistochemical characteristics, diagnoses, treatments, and risks of postoperative recurrence of IMT in the central nervous system.
A 67-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with an exophthalmic protrusion and double vision in the left eye that had persisted for 3 mo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 2.4 cm × 1.3 cm heterogeneous large mass in the bottom of the left anterior cranial fossa, which was closely related to the dura mater. Before surgery, we suspected the mass to be meningioma. The entire mass was successfully removed under neuronavigation and electrophysiological monitoring, and postoperative pathology indicated an IMT with extensive infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells and scattered multinucleated giant cells. Head MRI at the 3-mo follow-up showed that the tumor at the bottom of left anterior cranial fossa had been completely resected without recurrence.
From the histological, immunohistochemical, and genetic analyses, the present case suggests that the pathogenesis of IMT-CNS is related to autoimmunity.
Core Tip: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) rarely occur in the central nervous system (CNS), and the pathogenesis of IMT-CNS is unknown. We present a 67-year-old woman with IMT-CNS who presented with an exophthalmic protrusion and double vision in the left eye lasting for 3 mo. A 2.4 cm × 1.3 cm mass was found by magnetic resonance imaging at the left anterior cranial fossa base, and postoperative pathology indicated an IMT. Histological, immunohistochemical, and genetic analyses indicated that the IMT-CNS pathogenesis may be autoimmunity related. The main treatments for INT-CNS are gross tumor resection or rituximab infusion combined with high-dose prednisone.