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What is a Right Parietal Falcine Meningioma?

The Skull Base Institute describes a meningioma as any tumor occurring in the meninges, the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas are classified based on where they occur. A right parietal falcine meningioma is a tumor that occurs in the right parietal lobe, along the falx cerebri.

  1. Meningioma

    • Several membranous layers that cover the brain and spinal cord, including an outermost layer called the dura, make up the meninges. The dura folds into the brain, creating both dural folds and the falx cerebri. Meningiomas are the second-most-common type of brain tumor, making up 20 percent of tumors. They are usually benign, slow-growing tumors and occur more commonly in individuals between the ages of 40 and 70, affecting women more often than men.

    Right Parietal Falcine Meningioma

    • Tumors that grow along the falx cerebri, the infolding of the dura that separates the right and left halves of the brain, are called falcine meningiomas. Parietal meningiomas occur in the parietal lobe of the brain, one of the four lobes of the cerebrum. According to Bryn Mawr College, the parietal lobe is responsible for movement, orientation, recognition, and the perception of stimuli. Merck Manuals further notes that damage to the right parietal lobe often causes apraxia, or difficulty with simple tasks like dressing oneself.

    Causes of Meningiomas

    • The Skull Base Institute lists radiation as the only confirmed cause of meningiomas. Meningiomas also run in families, suggesting a genetic link, though researchers are unsure which genes are involved. Meningiomas are also associated with previous head injuries, other brain tumors or aneurysms and, possibly, viral infections.

    Symptoms of Meningiomas

    • According to the Skull Base Institute, the symptoms of a meningioma depend on where it is, as pressure on certain areas of the brain is what causes symptoms. Symptoms may include headache, stroke, seizure, loss of vision and personality changes. A case described in "Neurology India" involved a 60-year-old man who reported left-side numbness, tingling and seizure-like movements. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a mass in his right parietal lobe that was determined to be a falcine meningioma.

    Diagnosis and Treatment of Meningiomas

    • Diagnosis of meningiomas is by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT scan. These scans can also determine the size and location of the tumors. Biopsies can reveal information about the histopathology of the cells involved. Meningiomas that cause minor or no symptoms are often just observed through MRI scans. If symptoms are more severe, surgery is the best treatment. The Skull Base Institute describes some rare meningiomas that are malignant. These may require radiation as part of the treatment plan. Meningiomas have a good overall prognosis, as they are usually benign and removable.

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