PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - D J Hopster AU - S F Robinson AU - L Chadwick AU - J F Geddes TI - Widespread neuroendocrine malignancy within the central nervous system: a diagnostic conundrum. AID - 10.1136/jcp.50.5.440 DP - 1997 May 01 TA - Journal of Clinical Pathology PG - 440--442 VI - 50 IP - 5 4099 - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/50/5/440.short 4100 - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/50/5/440.full SO - J Clin Pathol1997 May 01; 50 AB - A 75 year old female presented with a sellar tumour, and was subsequently found also to have a cauda equina tumour, a parietal dural tumour, a pontine tumour, an intradural spinal tumour, and several vertebral body tumours. Histological examination revealed a neuroendocrine tumour forming cell nests surrounded by reticulin. There was moderate nuclear pleomorphism, prominent mitoses, and focal necrosis. Immunohistochemistry showed diffuse positive staining with cytokeratins, chromogranin and 5-hydroxytryptamine, and focal positive staining with S100. This case is an unusual and ultimately insoluble, diagnostic problem; however, the differential diagnoses include pituitary carcinoma, malignant paraganglioma, and atypical carcinoid.