Neoplastic meningitis must be differentiated from infections (meningitis, Lyme disease, neurocysticercosis), neoplastic (intracerebral metastasis, dural metastasis), inflammatory (rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, polychondritis), and granulomatous disorders (sarcoidosis, histiocytosis, Wegener’s granulomatosis, vasculitis).^[1]

Differential Diagnosis for Neoplastic Meningitis:

• Meningitis from infectious causes – infectious meningitis may to some degree manifest like neoplastic meningitis due to meningeal irritation. This include viral, bacterial, fungal and HIV-associated causes of meningitis.
• Neurosarcoidosis.
• Vasculitis – the generalized nature of vessel involvement in these diseases may, to some extent involve the meninges. Vasculitis documented to present like neoplastic meningitis include Kawasaki disease, Takayasu arteritis, Polyarteritis nodosa, microscopic polyarteritis nodosa and Wegener granulomatosis.
• Systemic connective tissue diseases – particularly SLE and Sjogren’s syndrome share some of the manifestation of neoplastic meningitis.

Neoplastic meningitis must be differentiated from:^[1]

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