Intracranial meningioma of an infant: a case report

An 11-month-old male infant with intracranial meningioma is presented. Intracranial meningiomas in infancy under the age of 1 year are extremely rare, and only 22 cases have been reported previously. The authors reviewed the clinical and pathological findings of these meningiomas including our case. The patient feel ill with convulsive attacks followed by unconsciousness at 11 months of age without any other neurological deficit. Computed tomographic scannings revealed a high density lesion in the frontal region. The tumor was located entirely in the frontal lobe 2 cm anterior to the Sylvian vein and was removed en bloc. It was 3 X 3 X 3 cm in diameter and 10 g in weight. Histological diagnosis was of fibroblastic meningioma. He was discharged two weeks after the operation without any neurological deficits. Several characteristic features of meningiomas in infant under 1 year old were drawn from the review of literature in comparison with those of meningiomas in adult. 1) Predominant sex was male (16/23). 2) All meningiomas developed in the supra-tentorium. 3) Eight of 18 tumors being described did not have the dural attachment. 4) Nine of 16 tumors showed cyst formation. 5) The most cases were histologically diagnosed benign (17 of 22), and 15 cases was fibroblastic meningioma.