Primary peripheral B cell lymphoma, Burkitt-like, of the cranial vault

We report an autopsy case of malignant lymphoma of the cranial vault. The patient was an 85-year-old woman who exhibited a painless subcutaneous scalp lump associated with no neurological abnormalities. CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed an extra-intra cranial isodensity lesion of the cranial vault. Autopsy revealed that the tumor was composed of medium-sized cells which were immunoreactive with CD45, CD20, CD79a, and CD10, and a diagnosis of peripheral B cell lymphoma, Burkitt-like, was made. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma originating from the cranial vault is extremely rare; a search of the English literature revealed only 16 previously reported cases. Herein, we review this singular calvarial lymphoma. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.