%0 Journal Article
%T Primary extra-cranial meningioma in the right submandibular region of an 18-year-old woman: a case report
%A Sanjay D Deshmukh
%A Vidya V Rokade
%A Gayatri S Pathak
%A Sanjana V Nemade
%A Amrut V Ashturkar
%J Journal of Medical Case Reports
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1752-1947-5-271
%X An 18-year-old Dravidian woman presented with swelling in the right submandibular region. The computed tomographic scan findings were suggestive of a neoplastic mass lesion in the right submandibular region. Fine-needle aspiration cytology led to the differential diagnosis of a monomorphic adenoma of a salivary gland or an ectopic meningioma. The patient underwent excision of the submandibular gland and tumor. The histological examination and immunohistochemistry studies confirmed that the lesion was an extra-cranial meningioma. At her two-year follow-up examination, there was no recurrence of the tumor.Our experience with this case indicates that, although rare, meningioma should be entertained in the differential diagnosis of a mass lesion in the head and neck region.Meningiomas are among the most frequently encountered tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). They arise from arachnoid cells of the meninges. Extra-cranial primary meningioma is a tumor of rare occurrence. Ectopic meningiomas have been reported in various anatomic sites in the head and neck region, such as the floor of the mouth [1], the nose and the paranasal sinuses [2]. In addition, ectopic meningiomas have been reported in other rarer sites such as the lung, mediastinum, skin, retroperitoneum and thigh [3]. At these sites, they are believed to arise from the arachnoid cells along the peripheral nerves [3]. Though ectopic meningiomas at these rare sites may pose diagnostic difficulties for clinicians and cytologists, the diagnosis of this condition is of paramount importance, as surgical excision is curative.An 18-year-old Dravidian woman presented to our hospital with right submandibular swelling of three to four months' duration. An examination revealed a firm, non-tender swelling in the right submandibular region measuring 3 cm กม 3 cm (Figure 1). Computed tomographic (CT) scan findings were a minimally enhancing, hypodense lesion measuring 4.5 cm กม 3.7 cm กม 2.6 cm within the right submandib
%U http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/content/5/1/271