Brainstem Oligodendroglioma in a Puppy

Abstract

Gliomas are neuroepithelial tumors derived from glial cells (i.e., astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and ependimocytes), repre senting approximately 36% of primary intracranial neoplasia in adult dogs.1 Their occurrence in young dogs is uncommon, with the few reports of gliomas in puppies being predominantly as trocytomas.2¿5 Specific MRI features for both oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas have been described, but in such reports, pros encephalic lesions represented the majority of cases and there were no specific descriptions for brainstem lesions.6,7 In human medi cine, brainstem gliomas are a well-defined entity, accounting for 10¿20% of all central nervous system (CNS) pediatric tumors, and they have been classified according to their MRI features.8¿10 Brainstem oligodendrogliomas in humans are exceedingly rare, but have still been classified according to their MRI features.9¿11 Such classification is lacking in veterinary medicine due to the low number of cases reported in pediatric domestic mammals. This report describes the MRI features of a brainstem oligo dendroglioma in a 5 mo old puppy.