Intradural intramedullary spinal cord meningioma in a seven years old female child.

Halima, a 7 years old female child was admitted initially in the Department of Neurosurgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Shahbagh, Dhaka, Bangladesh with the complaints of burning sensation in the neck for last four month. Initially pain was mild and gradually it became severe and agonizing at night which awakening her from sleep. Following fifteen days of admission, her left hand gradually became weak and numb. Subsequently, all four limbs became involved within one month. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed expansion of cervical cord with hypo-intense in T1 and inhomogeneous hyper-intense in T2 areas with widening of cervical canal. Post gadolinium diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) films showed mild heterogeneous contrast enhancement of the cord at the C2-C4 level. The cervical disc showed normal signal intensity on T2WI. During surgical procedure, laminectomy was done at C1-C5 level to release compression and dura matter was opened. Biopsy from involved tissue was taken and sent for histopathological examination and reported as embronal rhabdomyosarcoma. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of tumor showed negative reaction for desmin, focal positivity for pancytokeratin and positivity for S-100 protein. The tumor was then diagnosed as atypical meningioma,intradural-intramedullary (WHO grade-II). Then, following transfer to the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, BSMMU, protocol based chemotherapy was started followed by subsequent radiotherapy. The child was gradually improving after decompression of dura matter, commencement of chemotherapy and following external beam radiotherapy. So, an awareness of varied clinical manifestation of atypical meningioma of intrdural-intramedullary spinal cord tumor should be suspected to establish a correct diagnosis when the presenting signs and symptoms are enigmatic, presenting with intractable burning sensation or pain in the neck and investigation should be done accordingly.