Clinicopathological and imaging features of lipoastrocytoma: Case report

Abstract

Lipidized tumors of the central nervous system are very uncommon, with only a few cases described. We report a case of a 25-year-old woman with a tumor involving the left premotor area. She underwent gross total excision. Histologically, the tumor was composed of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive glial cells with areas of lipidization. A diagnosis of lipoastrocytoma was rendered. At three-year follow-up she was doing well, supporting the presumed favorable prognosis of these uncommon tumors. Absence of xanthochromic appearance, mitotic activity, necrosis and poor reticulin activity are the differentiating features from the pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. We highlighted that these tumors involve the adult and pediatric population and distribute in both supratentorial and infratentorial compartments as well as in the spinal cord.