The secretory subtype of meningioma (pictured here) is just one of many variants of meningioma, a usually histologically benign tumor that arises from the meninges (i.e. the outer coverings overlying the brain) and often contains concentrically-layered calcifications called psammoma bodies. The secretory variant can be suspected on imaging by the exuberant edema often seen in the adjacent brain tissue. Microscopically, secretory meningiomas contain characteristic eosinophilic inclusions called pseudopsammoma bodies (arrows). Unique to any other meningioma subtype, the cells that produce the pseudopsammoma bodies show positive CEA staining by immunohistochemistry and the affected individual may or may not have elevated CEA serum levels (of note, CEA is a tumor marker that is typically elevated in persons with gastrointestinal cancers).
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