Central Neurocytoma with Extensive Intratumoral Hemorrhage: A Case Report

Patient: Male, 39-year-old Final Diagnosis: Central neurocytoma (WHO Grade 2) with extensive intratumoral hemorrhage Symptoms: Dizziness • headache • loss of appetite • presyncope Clinical Procedure: Radiographic imaging • rehabilitation • tumor extirpation Specialty: Neurosurgery • Radiology OBJECTIVE: Rare disease BACKGROUND: Central neurocytoma (CN) is a rare neuronal tumor of neuroepithelial origin. It has been assigned to World Health Organization classification grade 2. These tumors are usually benign and located in the anterior half of the lateral ventricle, though they can also be found in the third and fourth ventricles. Left untreated, a CN can cause blockage of cerebrospinal fluid, thus leading to hydrocephalus. CNs are exceedingly uncommon, making up just 0.1–0.5% of primary intracranial tumors. The tumors typically develop in people aged 20 to 40. There are no official guidelines on how to treat CN, so treatment options are often individualized on the basis of specific case findings. CASE REPORT: A 39-year-old man with an uncomplicated medical history presented with dizziness, increasingly worse headaches, presyncope, and a loss of appetite. Radiological data and postoperative histopathological and histochemical analysis led to the diagnosis of CN with extensive intratumoral hemorrhage. Surgical resection of the tumor was proposed to the patient, to which he agreed. CONCLUSIONS: CN is a benign tumor, but it can cause serious or life-threatening complications. Gross total resection of the tumor is recommended if possible, and if deemed beneficial to the patient’s clinical condition. This case reports the symptoms of a patient with CN, who underwent gross total resection and showed no sign of any residual tumor tissue on postoperative MRI. By reporting these types of cases, we can take necessary steps ahead of widespread agreement on optimal treatment of patients with neurocytomas.