A flat brain tumor mistaken for old blood on the brain in two patients
Original title: Middle meningeal artery embolization of meningioma en plaque misdiagnosed as subdural hematoma: illustrative cases.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This is a report on 2 patients, written as a warning for doctors, not a new treatment.
The short version
Two people had a brain tumor that looked like a pool of old blood on their scans, so the first treatment they got was the wrong one.
What was studied. Doctors report on 2 patients. Both had a flat, sheet shaped tumor growing on the covering of the brain. Both were first thought to have a pool of old blood, and both had a scalp artery blocked off to treat that.
What they found. In both cases, the artery was blocked before a scan with dye was done. That delayed finding the real problem. Later both patients got worse, and the tumor was found and removed with surgery. The tumors were stuck to the brain and had spread into it, so the surgery was difficult. Both patients had problems with how their brain and nerves worked after the operation.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If you are told you have a pool of old blood on the brain, a scan with dye can help rule out a hidden tumor. The doctors say that scan should be done before the artery is blocked, or right after. It is fair to ask about it, especially if your case looks unusual on a scan.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a new treatment and it is not a cure. It is a report on 2 patients only. Two cases cannot tell us how often this mix up happens. It also does not mean the artery procedure is wrong or unsafe for people who truly do have a pool of old blood. The idea that blocking the artery made the later surgery harder is something these doctors raise as a possibility, not something proven.
Source: PubMed, August 10, 2026 · Read the original
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