Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 5 , Pages 262-269, May 2008

Low-Grade Astrocytoma Associated with Abscess Formation: Case Report and Literature Review

  • Tai-Hsin Tsai

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Yan-Fen Hwang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Shiuh-Lin Hwang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chen-Hsiang Hung

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Cheng-Wei Chu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Boon-Kee Lua

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chih-Lung Lin

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Kung-Shing Lee

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Joon-Khim Loh

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Aij-Lie Kwan

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chih-Jen Wang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Tzuu-Yuan Huang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Shen-Long Howng

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ann-Shung Lieu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr Ann-Shung Lieu, Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 100 Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan

Received 4 September 2007; accepted 5 October 2007.

A rare case of low-grade astrocytoma associated with abscess formation occurred in a 52-year-old man presenting with Broca's aphasia. He underwent craniotomy and tumor removal under the impression of brain tumor with necrotic cystic change. Abscess accumulation within the intra-axial tumor was found intraoperatively. Literature related to brain abscess with brain tumor is reviewed, with an emphasis on abscesses with astrocytoma. We discuss the common brain tumors that are associated with abscess, pathogens that coexist with brain tumor, and the pathogeneses of coexisting brain abscess and tumor. It is very important to know how to differentiate between and diagnose a brain abscess and tumor, or brain abscess with tumor, preoperatively from clinical presentation and through the use of computed tomography, conventional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging or magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Key Words:  astrocytoma , brain abscess , magnetic resonance spectroscopy

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PII: S1607-551X(08)70151-7

doi:10.1016/S1607-551X(08)70151-7

Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 5 , Pages 262-269, May 2008

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