A massive calcification and ossification of the transverse sinus and the neighbouring dura mimicking meningioma

Abstract

Background: Although small calcifications of the dura and the transverse sinus occur frequently, large, single intracranial calcifications originating from the transverse sinus and the neighbouring dura are rare. Case presentation: A 47-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for a right occipital headache that had persisted for two weeks. There was no neurological deficit. Normal skull X-ray and computed tomography (CT) scans revealed an irregular, calcified, intracranial lesion of approximately 4.4 × 4.0 × 2.5 cm in volume in the right occipital region. Via surgery, a bone-hard, poorly vascularised, pink mass originating from the right transverse sinus and the convex dura of the right cerebellar hemisphere, as well as the cerebellar tentorium, was completely removed. Pathological examination yielded a diagnosis of fibrous connective tissue with hyaline degeneration, calcification and ossification with no indication of neoplasia or inflammation.Conclusions: We report a rare case of massive calcification and ossification of the transverse sinus and the neighbouring dura mimicking meningioma. Degenerative calcification and ossification may serve as a rare differential diagnosis of diseases, such as meningiomas, in the transverse sinus and the neighbouring dura. © 2013 Xu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.