Cerebellopontine Angle Malt Lymphoma

Background: Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors represent around 5 to 10% of all intracranial tumors. Vestibular schwannomas, meningiomas, and epidermoid cyst represent the majority of the cases. Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNS) is an uncommon extranodal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that accounts for less than 3% of all intracranial tumors. They can be confined to the brain, spinal cord, leptomeninges or eyes.

Case History: We report a rare case of a 44-year-old woman who presented with progressive dizziness, hearing loss and severe pressure in her left ear, associated with headaches. The patient had a left CPA dura lesion, which appeared initially consistent with an en plaque meningioma. She was taken for a microscopic biopsy, which was positive for MALT lymphoma. She was subsequently initiated on chemotherapy, with complete resolution of the lesion.

Conclusion: The neuroimaging identification, surgical management, subsequent adjuvant therapy, and follow-up care of this patient with this unusual pathological entity are discussed. Leptomeningeal lymphoma is commonly a marginal zone B cell lymphoma (MALT) that accounts for 2.4% of all PCNSL2. They have a higher predilection for middle-age woman in contrast to brain parenchyma PCNSL, which are more commonly found in males.

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