Acute ischemic stroke secondary to glioblastoma. A case report

Neuroradiol J. 2014 Feb;27(1):85-90. doi: 10.15274/NRJ-2014-10009. Epub 2014 Feb 24.

Abstract

Glioblastoma is a malignant infiltrative glial tumor occurring most often over 50 years of age, with diverse clinical presentations. We describe a case of temporal lobe glioblastoma with a rare presentation as an acute ischemic stroke, discussing the imaging and histopathological findings, and reviewing the literature. A 77-year-old woman had sudden onset of left hemiparesis and hemihypoesthesia. The neuroradiological studies revealed an acute ischemic lesion in the right lenticulostriate arteries territory and a right anterior temporal lobe tumor, enhancing heterogeneously after contrast with enhancement of the right middle cerebral artery wall. Histopathological analysis of the resected temporal lesion revealed a glioblastoma multiforme with tumoral infiltration of the vascular wall. Glioblastoma should be considered in the etiology of acute ischemic stroke, where neuroimaging plays an important diagnostic role, enabling a more immediate therapeutic approach, with a consequent impact on survival.

Keywords: computed tomography; glioblastoma; magnetic resonance imaging; stroke; vasculopathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Brain Ischemia / etiology*
  • Brain Ischemia / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms / complications*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cerebral Angiography
  • Female
  • Glioblastoma / complications*
  • Glioblastoma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Hypesthesia / etiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Paresis / etiology
  • Stroke / etiology*
  • Stroke / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed