Analysis of MR findings of misdiagnosed cases with atypical craniopharyngioma / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the characteristic appearance of MR imaging of atypical craniopharyngioma and improve the diagnostic accuracy.Methods 8 atypical craniopharyngioma were analyzed retrospectively by MR imaging,which had been confirmed by pathology.Results 3 atypical craniopharyngiomas were cystic lesions, 2 were solid lesions, and rest 3 were solid-cystic lesions.The cystic lesion presented variable intensities on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI);and the wall was remarkably enhanced and uniform in thickness.The solid lesions presented hypointense on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and reticular enhancement.Solid-cystic tumors presented heterogeneous enhancement.In these lesions,4 lesions in sellar and suprasellar regions were misdiagnosed as pituitary macroadenoma,because of the unclear boundary between the lesions and pituitary gland.2 lesions in superasellar region were misdiagnosed as germinoma, for the remarkable enhancement.And 2 cases in superasellar region were misdiagnosed as pilocytic astrocytoma,for indistinct boundary between lesions and pituitary stalk and optic chiasma.Conclusion The MR imaging characteristics can help distinguish atypical craniopharyngioma from pituitary macroadenoma,sellar germinoma and pilocytic astrocytoma.