Myxopapillary ependymoma of the lateral ventricle with local recurrences: histopathological and ultrastructural analysis of a case

An exceptional case of a recurrent intracranial ependymoma of myxopapillary type arising from the lateral ventricle is reported in a 37-year-old man. This distinctive morphological variant of ependymoma is virtually restricted to the region of cauda equina and filum terminale or occasionally to pre- or post-sacral soft tissue. The intracranial cases of myxopapillary ependymoma are extremely rare and are generally associated with the primary ependymal tumour at the typical lumbosacral site. This case of intraventricular myxopapillary ependymoma did not demonstrate any MRI evidence of a primary spinal cord tumour. Moreover, the initial diagnosis of this histologically benign tumour was followed by two tumour recurrences during the three-year follow-up period. To our knowledge, this is the third documented case of a primary intraventricular myxopapillary ependymoma and the first one of intracranial localisation associated with local recurrences.