Central Nervous System Tuberculoma in the Corpus Callosum Mimicking a Butterfly Glioma: Literature Review of Radiological Findings and Our Experience

Claudia Scudieri; Fotios Kalfas

doi:10.4103/ajns.AJNS_482_20

Central Nervous System Tuberculoma in the Corpus Callosum Mimicking a Butterfly Glioma: Literature Review of Radiological Findings and Our Experience

Asian J Neurosurg. 2021 Sep 14;16(3):488-493. doi: 10.4103/ajns.AJNS_482_20. eCollection 2021 Jul-Sep.

Authors

Claudia Scudieri^{1

2}, Fotios Kalfas³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute University, Milan.
² Department of Neurological Surgery, Galliera Hospitals, Genova, Italy.
³ Department of Neurosurgery Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy.

Abstract

Context: Central nervous system (CNS) tuberculoma is the most common form of intracranial parenchymal tuberculosis (TB) which accounts for approximately 40% of misdiagnosed brain lesions mimicking intracranial tumors. The most common sites are the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and brainstem.

Materials and methods: Radiological findings of corpus callosum tuberculomas have been described and set in relation with the available literature.

Results: Corpus callosum tuberculomas are extremely rare, with only five cases reported in the current literature. Even though isolated CNS tuberculoma of the corpus callosum without systemic TB in immunocompetent patients occurs rarely, as in our case, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of solitary corpus callosum lesions.

Conclusions: Careful evaluation of the neuroradiological images with adequate clinicoradiological correlation allows for accurate diagnosis and ensures the proper and timely care.

Keywords: Central nervous system; corpus callosum lesion; intracranial tuberculosis; tuberculoma.