Management of intracranial meningeal hemangiopericytomas: outcome and experience

• Published in: Neurosurgical review 2006-04, Vol.29 (2), p.145-153
• Main Authors: Fountas, K N, Kapsalaki, E, Kassam, M, Feltes, C H, Dimopoulos, V G, Robinson, J S, Smith, J R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Diagnostic Imaging; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glasgow Outcome Scale; Hemangiopericytoma - diagnosis; Hemangiopericytoma - pathology; Hemangiopericytoma - surgery; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Liver Neoplasms - diagnosis; Liver Neoplasms - secondary; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - secondary; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Meningeal Neoplasms - pathology; Meningeal Neoplasms - surgery; Meninges - pathology; Meninges - surgery; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Postoperative Complications - diagnosis
• ISSN: 0344-5607; 1437-2320
• DOI: 10.1007/s10143-005-0001-9

Hemangiopericytomas represent rare intracranial tumors that have a tendency to recur locally and have the unique characteristic of giving extracranial metastases. Our current communication reviews a series of patients diagnosed with hemangiopericytoma who were treated in our facility. Eleven patients with a mean age of 51.2 years underwent follow-up for a mean time of 7.1 years. Their neuroimaging preoperative evaluation included plain skull X-rays, head CT scans, brain MRI, angiograms, and (1)HMRS. Preoperative embolization of the tumor was employed in 6/11 patients. All patients underwent craniotomy for tumor resection and postoperative radiation treatment was employed on all but one. Grade I resection was accomplished in 6/11 (54.5%), grade III in 4/11 (36.4%), and grade IV in 1/11 (9.1%). Local recurrence was detected in 3/11 (27.3%) at a mean period of 5 (range 2-7.5) years. Extracranial metastatic disease was documented in 4/11 (36.4%) patients at a mean of 4.9 (range 2.5-7) years after the initial diagnosis. The GOS score was: 7/11 (63.6%) scored 5, while 4/11 (36.4%) died at a mean time of 5.5 (range 3-8) years after the initial diagnosis. Intracranial hemangiopericytomas management requires aggressive surgical resection, postoperative radiation treatment, and extensive follow-up to rule out local recurrences and delayed extracranial metastases.