Pigmented ganglioglioma in a patient with chronic epilepsy and cortical dysplasia

J Clin Neurosci. 2016 Feb:24:17-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.08.002. Epub 2015 Oct 1.

Abstract

We report a rare case of a 22-year-old woman with biopsy-proven pigmented ganglioglioma. The patient initially underwent a right temporal lobectomy for intractable seizures at the age of 9 and remained seizure free for several years but subsequently developed complex partial seizures. Due to enhancement of a left mesial occipital lesion on preoperative MRI of the brain, the patient underwent a left subdural electrode placement and simultaneous biopsy of the left mesial occipital lesion. Biopsy results revealed a rare pigmented ganglioglioma, World Health Organization Grade I. The seizure focus was identified in the left mesial occipital lobe and the patient underwent tumor resection. An extensive literature search revealed that our patient is the fourth case of pigmented ganglioglioma described in the literature and was positive for BRAF V600E mutation by molecular studies.

Keywords: Chronic epilepsy; Cortical dysplasia; Melanocytic melanogenesis; Neuromelanin; Pigmented ganglioglioma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / complications*
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Chronic Disease
  • Epilepsy / etiology*
  • Epilepsy / surgery
  • Female
  • Ganglioglioma / complications*
  • Ganglioglioma / genetics
  • Ganglioglioma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Malformations of Cortical Development / etiology*
  • Mutation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • BRAF protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf