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Abstract
Neurocutaneous melanosis is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of a large or multiple congenital melanocytic nevus with proliferation of melanocytes in the central nervous system. The prognosis of neurocutaneous melanosis is extremely poor and its diagnostic approach requires understanding its brain magnetic resonance imaging findings. We report a patient with asymptomatic neurocutaneous melanosis and its radiologic findings.
Figures and Tables
Fig. 1
The patient has giant hairy dark nevus covering most of back, shoulder, and posterior neck as well as multiple satellite nevus scattered over the whole body.
Fig. 2
Histopathologic findings show that nevus cells are present near and around appendages and the deep dermis (A. H&E, × 40, B. H&E, × 100).
Fig. 3
Neurocutaneous melanosis in a 20-year-old man. (A) T1-weighted MR image and (B) T2-weighted MR image show ill-defined high signal intensity lesion at the ventral part of the left side pons (arrow). (C) Gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR image shows no enhancement in the ill-defined high signal intensity lesion (arrow). (D) FLAIR image shows ill-defined high signal intensity lesion at the ventral part of the left side pons (arrow).
Note.-FLAIR = fluid attenuated inversion recovery
Fig. 4
Upper level of Fig. 3 in the same patient (A) T1-weighted MR image and (B) FLAIR image show high signal intensity focus at the right amygdala (arrow). (C, D) Gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR image shows no enhancement in the high signal intensity focus (arrow). (E) T2-weighted MR image shows indeterminate signal intensity focus at the right amygdala.
Note.-FLAIR = fluid attenuated inversion recovery
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