Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma with multiple intracranial hemorrhages diagnosed by brain biopsy

Kazuma Yaura, M.D.1), Genya Watanabe, M.D.1), Takaaki Nakamura, M.D.1), Kenichi Tsukita, M.D.1), Hiroyoshi Suzuki, M.D., Ph.D.2) and Yasushi Suzuki, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1)Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Sendai Medical Center
2)Department of Pathology, National Hospital Organization, Sendai Medical Center

Central nervous system intravascular lymphoma sometimes includes multiple lesions mimicking cerebral infarction. Herein, we report our experience with a case of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) with multiple hemorrhages. A 53-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with clonic convulsions of the left upper limb. Brain MRI revealed a large number of high-intensity areas on FLAIR and low-intensity areas on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). Chest CT showed bilateral multiple high-density lesions in the lungs. Biopsy of pulmonary lesions revealed no abnormal cells. Levetiracetam was administered to prevent the seizures that were assumed to occur due to the cerebral cortex lesions; however, convulsive seizure recurred with a depressed level of consciousness. On a repeat brain MRI examination, severe, multiple new lesions were shown to have developed bilaterally in the cerebral cortex and white matter, exhibiting spotty low intensities on SWI. Biopsy of a new cerebral lesion was carried out and the lesion was pathologically diagnosed as IVLBCL with hemorrhages. IVLBCL should be noted as one of the differential diagnoses not only in case with multiple infarct lesions, but also in case with multiple hemorrhages.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (2142K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 60: 206|212, 2020)
key words: intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL), intravascular lymphoma (IVL), susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), brain biopsy, cerebral hemorrhage

(Received: 23-Sep-19)