Primary hypothalamic lymphoma in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: case report and review of the literature

A 67-year-old female was admitted to our department with difficulty in speech, disorientation, memory loss and seizures. Blood laboratory tests revealed diabetes insipidus. This patient had been treated with steroids for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for 30 years. Due to this treatment neurolog...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurological sciences 2010-10, Vol.31 (5), p.647-652
Main Authors: Biasiotta, Antonella, Frati, Alessandro, Salvati, Maurizio, Raco, Antonino, Fazi, Maurizio, D’Elia, Alessandro, Cruccu, Giorgio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Brain - pathology
Case Report
Female
Humans
Hypothalamic Neoplasms - complications
Hypothalamic Neoplasms - diagnosis
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - complications
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - diagnosis
Lymphoma - complications
Lymphoma - diagnosis
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Neurology
Neuroradiology
Neurosciences
Neurosurgery
Psychiatry
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A 67-year-old female was admitted to our department with difficulty in speech, disorientation, memory loss and seizures. Blood laboratory tests revealed diabetes insipidus. This patient had been treated with steroids for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for 30 years. Due to this treatment neurological symptoms had been understated causing a long delay in performing ulterior researches. A brain MRI revealed a mass lesion in the hypothalamic area. A biopsy was performed and histopathological diagnosis was malignant large B cell lymphoma. Subsequently, she received methotrexate therapy but died of pneumonia during the second cycle. Primary central nervous system lymphoma in association with SLE is a rare occurrence but it should be considered in the diagnostic process when neurological symptoms occur. A brain MRI must be performed and corticosteroids should be interrupted. A biopsy of the cerebral mass lesion permits diagnosis and appropriate therapy may be administered.
ISSN:1590-1874
1590-3478
DOI:10.1007/s10072-010-0338-x