Meningiomas of the neuraxis : a study of 290 cases
Shuangshoti, S.; Panyathanya, R.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 64(9): 450-463
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 7299298 Document Number: 176519
A study of 290 neuraxial meningiomas in Thailand discloses that intracranial meningiomas are 8 times more common than intraspinal ones. The intracranial meningioma begins to be more frequent in the 3rd decade of life, reaches its peak occurrence between the 4th and 5th decades, and gradually declines thereafter. About 70% of neuraxial and intracranial meningiomas occur between the 4th and 6th decades. Females are more frequently affected than males with a ratio of 3:2 for each group of neuraxial and intracranial meningiomas. For spinal meningiomas, the ratio is 4:1 between females and males. Supratentorial, tentorial, subtentorial and combined subtentorial meningiomas comprise 90.1, 4.5, 4.5 and 0.9% of intracranial meningiomas. Supratentorial meningiomas are located as follows: under the cranial vault, 70%; at the cranial base, 26%; and in the ventricle, 4%. Most supratentorial meningiomas in Thailand are on the cerebral convexity which are about 3.5 times more common than those of parasagittal meningiomas. Reciprocally, in the Western hemisphere, they are frequently situated along the parasagittal region. Intraspinal meningiomas are most frequent in the thoracic region which comprise .apprx. 73% of all spinal meningiomas. About 44% of the neuraxial meningiomas are calcified microscopically. Calcified intraspinal meningiomas are twice as common as calcified intracranial meningiomas. About 4.5% of intracranial meningiomas are malignant, and < 1% of them metastasize. Less than 1% of meningiomas are associated with pregnancy.