Background:
Simultaneous presentation of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is rarely reported in the literature and needs to be differentiated from "angioglioma", a highly vascular glioma and other differential diagnosis such as hypervascular glioblastoma. Incorporating critical features of both, malignant glioma and AVM, such lesions lack a standard algorithm for diagnosis and therapy due to their rare incidence as well as their complex radiological and highly individualized clinical presentation.
Case description:
We present a case of a 71-year-old female with newly developing motor deficits and radiographic findings of a heterogeneously contrast enhancing right-sided thalamic lesion with highly prominent vasculature. While computed tomography angiogram and cerebral digital subtraction angiography supported the diagnosis of AVM, contrast-enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR-spectroscopy was suggestive of malignant glioma. A stereotactic biopsy revealed the diagnosis of a GBM (WHO IV) and the patient was treated accordingly.
Conclusion:
The coincidental presentation of vascular lesions such as AVM and malignant glioma is rare and presents a major challenge when establishing a diagnosis. The respective treatment decision is complicated by the fact that available treatment modalities (e.g. radiosurgery and/or open resection) carry disease specific complications for each entity. Finding a suitable solution for such cases requires standardization of early diagnostic and therapeutic management.