Publication:

Correlation between histopathological variant and anatomical site of meningiomas: a single centre study

Background Meningiomas are among the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system, arising from arachnoidal cap cells. They show diverse histopathological variants and occur at various sites within the craniospinal axis. Studying the correlation between histological subtype and tumor location may help in predicting tumor behavior, guiding surgical management and assessing prognosis.

Methods A retrospective study was conducted over one year for a sample size of 51 histopathologically confirmed cases of meningioma. Clinical details, anatomical location, histopathological subtype and WHO grade were reviewed. Tumors were classified according to WHO 2021 criteria and the association between histological variants and anatomical sites was analysed.

Results Of all the cases studied, 58.8% were females and 41.2% males, with the highest incidence in the 51–60 years age group (33.3%). The most common site was the parasagittal region (41.1%), followed by free convexity (19.6%) and spinal region (11.7%). Histologically, meningothelial meningioma was the most frequent subtype (60.7%), followed by fibroblastic (13.7%), transitional (5.88%) and psammomatous (5.88%) variants. WHO Grade I tumors accounted for 86.2% of cases, Grade II for 9.88% and Grade III for 3.92%. Higher-grade tumors demonstrated increased mitotic activity, hypercellularity, necrosis and brain infiltration. A significant correlation was observed between certain histological variants and anatomical sites, particularly meningothelial meningioma in the parasagittal region.

Conclusions Meningiomas commonly occur in middle-aged females and are most frequently located in the parasagittal region. The meningothelial subtype and WHO Grade I tumors predominate. Correlation between histological subtype and tumor location provides useful insights for clinical management and prognosis.