CT and MR Findings of Intracranial Ganglioglioma

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical, CT and MRI findings of intracranial ganglioglioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patient were between 9 and 30 years old, and were men. Four patients with pathologically proved gangliogliomas were included in this study. CT and MR images were assessed retrospectively for location, type, density, signal intensity and contrast enhancement pattern of tumors. RESULTS: All patients suffered from epileptic seizure of long history. The tumors were located in temporal lobe(3 cases) and frontal lobe(1 case). The type of tumor were solid (2 cases) and cystic(2 cases). On the CT scan, the cystic lesions were hypodense and the solid lesions were isodense to normal brain parenchyme. Calcification within lesion was noted in 3 cases. On the MR imaging, cystic lesions reveal high signal intensity on T2-weighted image(T2WI) and low signal intensity on Tl-weighted image(T1WI). One of the solid lesions showed iso-signal intensity on T1WI and high signal intensity on T2WI. Another revealed high signal intensity on both T1WI and T2WI. The signal intensity of the calcifications(3 case) was variable. Two cases showed signal void, one case revealed high signal intensity on T1WI and low signal intensity on T2WI. In three patients, the lesions enhanced after intravenous administration of Gd-DTPA. CONCLUSION: Ganglioglioma should be considered in the differential diagnosis when the children or young male with epilepy have a cystic mass with calcification or ill- defined solid mass, especially in temporal lobe on CT or MRI.