Abstract

Heterotopic brain tissue is a developmental anomaly of neurogenic origin with no malignant potential, and is usually present around the nose of children and infants. So it has been called nasal glioma. But, even more rarely, heterotopic glial tissue may be found in various sites other than nasal cavity, such as the ethmoidal sinus, palate, tonsillar area, pharynx, ear, subcutaneous tissue, lung, and female genital tract. We experienced a more unusual case of a polypoid heterotopic brain tissue in the soft palate in a 3-year-old boy. The mass was microscopically reminiscent of "gliosis" of the central nervous system and interestingly contained choroid plexus focally. The glial nature of the lesion was confirmed by glial fibrillary acidic protein immunostain.

• Keywords: Soft palate;Brain tissue;Heterotopia;Nasal glioma