Glioblastoma mimicking anti‐ NMDA receptor encephalitis: a case series

Internal Medicine Journal 2026 Open access

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Authors: Sophie Chatterton, Fangzhi Jia, Antonia Jean Clarke, Laveniya Satgunaseelan, Hwei Choo Soh, Karl Ng, Kaitlyn L. Parratt, John Parratt
DOI: 10.1111/imj.70394
Cited by: 1
References: 14

Abstract

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) GluN1-IgG antibodies are the hallmark of anti-NMDAR encephalitis, a common type of autoimmune encephalitis. We describe two men with seizures and asymmetric, mass-like temporal lesions initially treated as anti-NMDAR encephalitis: Case 1 had serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NMDAR-IgG antibodies and Case 2 had serum-only (post-treatment CSF negative) antibodies. Both showed poor immunotherapy response, fluorodeoxyglucose-avid infiltrative disease and biopsy-proven glioblastoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase wildtype. Antineuronal antibody positivity can be misleading when the clinical and imaging picture are discordant. The current cases highlight the need to apply strict criteria, use short-interval imaging and perform biopsy early in antibody-positive mimics of autoimmune encephalitis.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Autoimmune Neurological Disorders and Treatments CNS Lymphoma Diagnosis and Treatment Neurological Complications and Syndromes

Publication details

Journal / source
Internal Medicine Journal
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
56
Issue
5
Pages
897–901
Publication date
1 April 2026
Language
EN