Meningeal Melanocytoma Associated with Nevus of Ota: Analysis of Twelve Reported Cases.

BACKGROUND

Primary melanocytic neoplasms (PMNs) are rare neoplasms, especially within the central nervous system. Meningeal melanocytomas, a subtype of PMN, are even rarer. Nevus of Ota results from the incomplete migration of melanocytes from the neural crest. Synchronous nevus of Ota and meningeal melanocytoma are infrequently encountered in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and elucidate 12 cases of synchronous meningeal melanocytoma and nevus of Ota, thereby improving the understanding of the relationship between these 2 diseases.

METHODS

We reviewed cases and searched the English-language literature from the PubMed database and collected clinical parameters of 12 cases of synchronously occurring nevus of Ota and meningeal melanocytoma.

RESULTS

Among the 12 cases, 90.90% and 91.66% of the lesions were located ipsilaterally and supratentorially, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated a trend for both types of lesion to be located ipsilaterally and supratentorially. When a patient with nevus of Ota is found to harbor an intracranial neoplasm, the most likely diagnosis is PMN.