Metastatic Carcinoma in the Brain - Erler Zimmer 3D anatomy Series MP2019

This dissection model highlighting a metastatic Melanoma in the brain is part of the exclusive Monash 3D anatomy series, a comprehensive series of human dissections reproduced with ultra-high resolution color 3D printing.

Clinical history (pre CT and MRI access).

This 51-year-old woman had surgery for breast cancer 2 years before presentation. Her main complaint was left-sided ataxia for the previous 2 weeks, and this was preceded by a fainting attack followed by left-sided weakness. Examination revealed left spastic paresis. There was doubt about the diagnosis because the rapidity of onset suggested vascular injury. She was discharged from the hospital but six weeks after her initial presentation was readmitted with left fitting. Lumber puncture and reexamination were uninformative. EEG showed a right anterior temporal abnormality. Angiography confirmed the presence of a large space-occupying lesion in the right brain. In the ward, there was continuous deterioration of the patient's condition and finally death.

Pathology

The specimen is the horizontally sliced brain. In the upper projection, the right hemisphere is clearly enlarged, particularly in the parietal region where the circumvolutions are enlarged and 3 cystic tumors are evident. The largest, 5 cm in diameter, is located in the right parietal region. A smaller tumor, 2 x 1.5 cm in diameter, is seen near the posterior margin of the larger tumor. A third, 1.5 cm in diameter, is found in the left parietal region. The tumors mainly involved the white matter. The wall of each lesion is composed of friable, shaggy grayish tissue. At autopsy, there was ulceration of the larger tumor in the right lateral ventricle (seen most clearly when examining the lower surface). A subfalcine herniation was also observed, as well as displacement of the basal ganglia and internal capsule. Histological examination revealed metastatic carcinoma in the vital areas. Other metastases were found in the liver and bone. Histology of liver metastasis was consistent with origin from primary breast carcinoma.

What advantages does the Monash University anatomical dissection collection offer over plastic models or plastinated human specimens?

• Each body replica has been carefully created from selected patient X-ray data or human cadaver specimens selected by a highly trained team of anatomists at the Monash University Center for Human Anatomy Education to illustrate a range of clinically important areas of anatomy with a quality and fidelity that cannot be achieved with conventional anatomical models-this is real anatomy, not stylized anatomy.
• Each body replica has been rigorously checked by a team of highly trained anatomists at the Center for Human Anatomy Education, Monash University, to ensure the anatomical accuracy of the final product.
• The body replicas are not real human tissue and therefore not subject to any barriers of transportation, import, or use in educational facilities that do not hold an anatomy license. The Monash 3D Anatomy dissection series avoids these and other ethical issues that are raised when dealing with plastinated human remains.