Solitary fibrous tumor of the meninges in the posterior cranial fossa: magnetic resonance imaging and histological correlation--case report

A 58-year-old female presented with a rare case of intracranial solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) manifesting as progressive ataxic gait and hearing loss on the left persisting for 6 months with recent symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Computed tomography demonstrated a large isodense irregular-shaped mass in the left posterior cranial fossa. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed two components appearing as very low intensity and high intensity. Extreme-lateral suboccipital craniotomy was performed. Gross total resection was achieved except for some dural attachment in the jugular foramen. All symptoms and signs subsided after surgery. Histological, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic examinations led to a diagnosis of SFT. The strongly hypointense areas on the T2-weighted images were hypocellular region characterized by disorganized spindle cells and thick bands of collagen. The hyperintense areas on the T2-weighted images were hypercellular region mimicking hemangiopericytoma. Strong immunoreactivity for CD34 was also helpful in the diagnosis. Electron microscopy revealed absence of pinocytic vesicles and dense laminae which are characteristic of hemangiopericytoma. The magnetic resonance imaging appearance of SFT seems to be pathognomonic.