Spontaneous hemorrhages in pediatric supratentorial pilocytic astrocytomas. Malignant presentation of a benign entity.

BACKGROUND

Hemorrhage as a presenting feature in pilocytic astrocytoma is an extremely rare phenomenon. When seen in children, most of such tumors exist in the cerebellum. Rarely, a supratentorial pilocytic astrocytoma can present with bleeding.

RESULTS

We present similar two cases and discuss the pathophysiology of such hemorrhage and histopathological changes in thinned hyalinised vessels of this tumor.

CONCLUSION

The presence of calcifications in the peri-hemorrhagic areas and the presence of mass effect disproportionate to the size of the bleeding are harbingers of the presence of a benign neoplasm that may have bled.