J Clin Neurol.  2009 Dec;5(4):198-200. 10.3988/jcn.2009.5.4.198.

Occipital Neuralgia as the Only Presenting Symptom of Foramen Magnum Meningioma

• Kim NH
• Yang SY
• Koo JB
• Jeong SW

• KMID: 2287651
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2009.5.4.198

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Occipital neuralgia (ON) is a condition characterized by a paroxysmal stabbing pain in the area of the greater or lesser occipital nerves; it is usually regarded by clinicians as idiopathic. Some have suggested that ON can be induced by trauma or injury of the occipital nerves or their roots, but tumor has rarely been reported as a cause of ON. CASE REPORT: We report herein a case of foramen magnum meningioma in a 55-year-old woman who presented with ON triggered by head motion as the only symptom without any signs of myelopathy. CONCLUSIONS: This case indicates that it is important to consider the underlying causes of ON. Precise neurologic and radiological evaluations such as cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging are needed.

Keyword

occipital neuralgia; meningioma; foramen magnum

MeSH Terms

Female
Foramen Magnum
Head
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Meningioma
Middle Aged
Neuralgia
Spinal Cord Diseases
Spine

Figure

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  Fig. 1 MRI of the cervical spine with gadolinium enhancement revealed a well-defined gadolinium-enhanced mass at the craniocervical junction. The lesion was located in the right posterolateral part of the cord and interrupted the right C2 spinal root.

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  Fig. 2 Pathologic features of meningothelial meningioma. The tumor cells formed lobules, some of which were partly demarcated by thin collagenous septae. The tumor cells were largely uniform, with oval nuclei containing delicate chromatin that occasionally showed central clearing.

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