Meningeal melanocytoma:: A case report and literature review

The clinicopathologic, immunocytochemical, and electron microscopic features of a case of meningeal melanocytoma arising in the phylum terminate are reported. Meningeal melanocytoma is an uncommon tumor that must be distinguished from metastatic or primary malignant melanoma, meningeal melanocytic nevi, pigmented meningioma, pigmented schwannoma or neurofibroma, and pigmented primitive neuroectodermal tumor. This is a difficult differential diagnosis that can be best achieved by complementing histological examination with a selected pannel of antibodies and, most important, electron microscopic study. The distinctive ultrastructural appearance of most of these lesions point to this technique as the gold standard in pigmented proliferations of the nervous system.