Spontaneous involution of a non‐optic astrocytoma in neurofibromatosis type I: serial magnetic resonance imaging evaluation

Abstract

A patient with neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) was followed‐up with serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies over a period of 6 years. A contrast‐enhancing lesion of the internal capsule, histologically proven to be pilocytic astrocytoma through stereotactic brain biopsy with mass effect and associated edema, was detected to reveal spontaneous involution on follow‐up MRI studies. Although spontaneous regression of gliomas of the optic pathway‐hypothalamus in patients with NF1 is relatively common in the literature, spontaneous involution of non‐optic (i.e. areas other than optic pathways and hypothalamus) gliomas is rarely reported. Conservative management with follow‐up MRI studies should be considered for non‐optic glial tumors and tumor‐like masses in patients with NF1, and surgical treatment should not be considered unless the lesions exhibit a rapid or unrelenting growth on serial MRI studies or produce significant clinical deterioration.