“Vanishing” glioblastoma: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Contrast enhancement resolution induced by corticosteroids is a phenomenon primarily associated with primary central nervous system lymphoma, while malignant brain gliomas usually maintain a consistent radiological appearance during systemic steroid treatment.Although rare, a few primary and metastatic intracranial lesions have shown similar radiographic changes following corticosteroid therapy. In the case of glioblastomas, corticosteroid therapy is commonly used to alleviate pressure effects from peritumoral edema, but its impact on contrast enhancement is not well-established.A few reported cases in the literature describe reduced contrast enhancement in glioblastomas after corticosteroid treatment.We present a case of corticosteroid-induced regression on imaging of glioblastoma evaluated at our institutionwith the intention to explore the pathogenesis of this response and discuss the therapeutic and prognostic implications of this discovery.

Keywords

• Vanishing glioblastoma
• Corticosteroids
• MRI