ABSTRACT
The neuroradiological features of supratentorial hemispheric tumors (SHTs) were studied in 27 patients whose ages ranged from 11 months to 18 years. Astrocytomas constituted 10 of the 27 SHTs. On computed tomography low-grade astrocytomas were in most cases hypodense; after intravenous administration of contrast medium, pilocytic astrocytomas enhanced, whereas fibrillary astrocytomas did not. Gd-DPTA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was the most useful technique for the assessment of recurrences. Atypical imaging features were observed in one glioblastoma and in oligodendrogliomas (in half of the cases no calcifications were found). Gangliogliomas were surprisingly rather frequent in our series (5/27) and appeared in three cases as low-density, well-circumscribed lesions, not calcified and without edema and mass effect, while in two cases they had pronounced perifocal edema without clear demarcation. A rare desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma was observed. The two meningiomas showed malignant behavior.
Subject(s)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Supratentorial Neoplasms/diagnosis , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Adolescent , Astrocytoma/diagnosis , Astrocytoma/pathology , Brain/pathology , Brain Edema/diagnosis , Brain Edema/pathology , Calcinosis/diagnosis , Calcinosis/pathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Contrast Media , Female , Gadolinium DTPA , Ganglioglioma/diagnosis , Ganglioglioma/pathology , Glioblastoma/diagnosis , Glioblastoma/pathology , Humans , Infant , Male , Meningeal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Meningeal Neoplasms/pathology , Meningioma/diagnosis , Meningioma/pathology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/diagnosis , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Neoplasm Staging , Oligodendroglioma/diagnosis , Oligodendroglioma/pathology , Organometallic Compounds , Pentetic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Prognosis , Supratentorial Neoplasms/pathologyABSTRACT
Intracranial epidermoid cysts are uncommon benign tumors of developmental origin; malignant transformation is extremely rare. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma arising in a chiasmatic-parasellar epidermoid cyst. Malignant change had not been suspected until histological examination revealed it.
Subject(s)
Brain Diseases/pathology , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Epidermal Cyst/pathology , Brain Diseases/surgery , Brain Neoplasms/surgery , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery , Epidermal Cyst/surgery , Humans , Male , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Pineal Gland , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Stereotaxic TechniquesABSTRACT
On the basis of a 4 year experience with CT scan in cerebral gliomas and of previous personal contributions in this field, a neuroradiological protocol of these patients is proposed. The protocol consists of a complete preoperative neuroradiological evaluation and of CT assessments at the end of the surgical procedure, before initiating radio-chemotherapy, and at the completion of each of its cycles, respectively. Attention is drawn to the importance of contrast enhancement, to the role played by the changes in the blood-brain barrier (BBB), either due to surgery or to the effect of radio-chemotherapy and to the identification of residual tumor or of recurrences. CT scan to be performed at the end of the operation is proposed on the assumption that, in spite of the increased possibility of artifacts due to blood, air, etc., it may provide an immediate and better evaluation of the surgical results as compared to the CT picture at the beginning of radio-chemotherapy, when changes in the patient's brain may already have occurred.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/therapy , Glioma/therapy , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Brain Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Glioma/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Postoperative Complications/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
Sixty patients with cerebral ischemia were studied by both CT and angiography. The results are: 1. Thrombosis of the internal carotid artery: CT shows a hypodensity lateral to the frontal horn. 2. Thrombosis of the middle cerebral artery: the hypodensity occupies the convexity of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. 3. In thrombosis of the posterior cerebral artery there is an occipital hypodensity, while in thrombosis of the vertebral artery the hypodensity occupies a cerebellar hemisphere. 4. Circulatory disturbances without occlusion of the major cerebral vessels: there is a disproportion between the serious CT lesion and paucity of the angiographic findings.
