Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: discussion of a case and a review of the imaging findings

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is an uncommon melanin-containing mesenchymal tumor of neural crest origin. What make this tumor unique and interesting is its characteristic predilection for anterior maxilla (premaxilla) and the presence of pigment melanin which gives the tumor distinct clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural and imaging features. Although first described almost a century ago, to the authors’ knowledge, only a few hundred cases of MNTI have been reported worldwide in the English medical literature. The pool of documented radiological findings is even more sparse as not more than a dozen cases could be abstracted from an Internet search of the radiology literature. We document a case of MNTI and describe the imaging findings with intent to contribute to its small but accruing radiological data.