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Open Access 01-12-2011 | Case report
Primary extra-cranial meningioma in the right submandibular region of an 18-year-old woman: a case report
Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports | Issue 1/2011
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Introduction
Extra-cranial meningioma or ectopic meningioma is a rare tumor. This tumor has been reported in various anatomic sites in the head and neck, mediastinum, skin and soft tissues. We report a rare case of ectopic meningioma in the submandibular region detected by using fine-needle aspiration cytology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This case represents another unusual site for extra-cranial meningioma, which prompted us to report it.
Case presentation
An 18-year-old Dravidian woman presented with swelling in the right submandibular region. The computed tomographic scan findings were suggestive of a neoplastic mass lesion in the right submandibular region. Fine-needle aspiration cytology led to the differential diagnosis of a monomorphic adenoma of a salivary gland or an ectopic meningioma. The patient underwent excision of the submandibular gland and tumor. The histological examination and immunohistochemistry studies confirmed that the lesion was an extra-cranial meningioma. At her two-year follow-up examination, there was no recurrence of the tumor.
Conclusion
Our experience with this case indicates that, although rare, meningioma should be entertained in the differential diagnosis of a mass lesion in the head and neck region.