Pilomyxoid astrocytoma in unusual location in a child with neurofibromatosis type 1: case report and review of the literature.

Pilomyxoid astrocytoma (PMA) is a recently defined brain tumor believed to be a variant of pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), but with a more aggressive course. Most PMAs occur in the optic-chiasmatic/hypothalamic (OCH) region but they have also been described in the posterior fossa, temporal lobe, and in the spinal cord. We report a girl with history of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) who presented with a PMA located in the left lateral ventricle.

Association of extensive brain calcifications, myelofibrosis, and retinopathy in a 12-year-old child.

We report a case of a 12-year-old boy with history of myelofibrosis and retinopathy who developed sudden neurological deficits associated with coagulopathy, multiorgan failure, and death. A fluorescent in situ hybridization study revealed monosomy of chromosome 7 in 21% of the bone marrow cells in support of his diagnosis of myelofibrosis. Postmortem neuropathology examination revealed multiple coarse and microcalcifications and cerebral hemorrhages, explaining the patient's neurological deterioration.

Rhabdoid tumor: an unusual pediatric brain tumor.

Rhabdoid tumors of the brain are rare with an invariable dismal prognosis despite treatment. This is the case of a 3 year old boy who presented lethargy, somnolence, nausea, vomiting, and headaches one week prior to hospitalization. A posterior fossa tumor with hydrocephalus was noted on a head computed tomography (CT) scan.

Cerebral hemiatrophy: an associated finding in an epileptic child.

Cerebral hemiatrophy is a rarely occurring condition of different etiologies that can be regarded as the final stage of a number of different disease processes. It is characterized by a marked asymmetry of the cerebral hemispheres. A 12 year old girl with history of epilepsy since infancy and psychomotor delay presented in status epilepticus, developed marked cerebral edema, bilateral uncal herniation and bilateral infarcts of the posterior cerebral artery territories.

Monocephalus diprosopus, a rare form of conjoined twins, and associated congenital anomalies.

Craniofacial duplication (diprosopus) is a rare form of conjoined twins. A case of monocephalus diprosopus with anencephaly, cervicothoracolumbar rachischisis, and duplication of the respiratory tract and upper gastrointestinal tract is reported. The cardiovascular system remained single but the heart showed transposition of the great vessels.