Neurológia pre prax 4/2012

Forgetfulness and walking difficulties with a surprising conclusion

We report a case of rapidly progressive dementia and Parkinsonism; the clinical diagnosis concluded to mixed dementia (Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia). Neuropathologic findings, however, showed surprisingly a diffuse anaplastic astrocytoma with areas of glioblastoma. We discuss the principal atypical clinical features in our patient and suggest possible reasons that might have been involved into the discrepancies between clinical conclusions and the denite histopathological diagnosis. Our observation underlines the need for confrontations of clinical signs and neuroimaging findings and strengthens the importance of neuropathological verification of clinical diagnoses in receiving valuable feedback and lessons for the future.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, glioblastoma, neuroimaging.