Clinical Vignette:

An 84-year-old woman had a history of craniotomy 17 years previously for the removal of a right occipital meningioma (Nagaratnam et al, 1996). She presented at this time with a 3-year history of formed hallucinations, the ringing of bells, and the monotonous repetition of the same Christmas carol. The hallucinations had increased in frequency and intensity in the past few months. She reported people standing to her left, and, to her annoyance, some of them stroked her face. She had been observed brushing away imaginary objects. A computed tomographic scan revealed a 5-cm diameter mass superior to the tentorium in the right occipital region. She was treated with steroids because of an unrelated cardiac condition. The musical hallucinations continued unabated until her death a month later of left ventricular failure.