Primary leptomeningeal lymphoma (PLML) is a rare disease, comprising less than 1% of all lymphomas. Clinical manifestations include headache, encephalopathy, ataxia, cranial nerve palsy, and myelitis. Diagnosis requires a combination of magnetic resonance images (MRI), cytology, flow cytometry of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and an extensive workup to rule out systemic lymphoma. We describe the case of a 49-year-old man who developed subacute onset headache, encephalopathy, and blindness. Whole-body examinations, including a bone marrow trephine biopsy, excluded systemic lymphoma. Brain MRI showed leptomeningeal enhancement. Cytology and flow cytometry of CSF found a clonal B-cell population making a diagnosis of PLML. He began treatment with rituximab and high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX), with progressive clinical improvement. CSF analysis after two cycles and one intrathecal methotrexate dose was normal. Brain and spinal MRI images plus CSF analysis, along with an extensive workup to exclude systemic lymphoma, are necessary to diagnose PLM. Early treatment with HD-MTX alone or in combination with rituximab improves clinical outcomes.
Keywords: b-cell lymphoma; flow cytometry; lymphoma; meningeal neoplasms; methotrexate.
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