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Case History

56-year-old with a left temporal brain tumor.

What is the diagnosis?

  1.       Metastatic small cell carcinoma
  2.       Glioblastoma, WHO Grade IV
  3.       Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the CNS, germinal center type
  4.       Anablastic Meningioma, WHO grade III

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Answer: C. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the CNS, germinal center type

Discussion:

H&E and CD20 exhibit a diffuse large b cell neoplasm of the CNS (categorized within the primary central nervous system lymphomas)

More than 60% involve the supratentorial space with most sites in the cerebral hemispheres with ocular involvement present in 15-20% of cases.

Up to 85% can be seen within immunocompromised

They can be seen as discohesive cells with large round to irregular nuclei with a high proliferative index (our case was up to 90%).

Germinal center type was identified following the Hans criteria

Case contributed by: Michael Williams, M.D., M.Sc., Neuropathology Fellow, UAB Pathology