Intraventricular meningiomas: MR imaging and MR spectroscopic findings in two cases.
(1/146)
CT, MR imaging, MR spectroscopy, and angiography were performed in two men (ages 21 and 48, respectively) with intraventricular meningioma. In both cases, CT and MR imaging showed large tumors located in the trigone of the right lateral ventricle that enhanced intensely after contrast administration. MR spectroscopy was helpful in supporting a preoperative diagnosis of meningioma in both cases. (+info)
Pineoblastoma showing unusual ventricular extension in a young adult--case report.
(2/146)
A 19-year-old male presented with a 4-week history of headache. Neurological examination showed bilateral papilledema. Computed tomography revealed a pineal region mass with remarkable obstructive hydrocephalus. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a pineal region tumor continuously invading through the tectum into the cerebral aqueduct and the fourth ventricle with the preservation of the adjacent structures. The tumor appeared an iso- to hypointense mass on T1-weighted images, a heterogeneous iso- to hyperintense mass on T2-weighted images, and a heterogeneously enhanced mass after administration of contrast medium. Histological examination after endoscopic biopsy confirmed that the tumor was a pineoblastoma. Radiotherapy was given to the whole brain and the spinal cord, and magnetic resonance imaging showed complete remission of the tumor. Pineoblastomas are highly malignant tumors with seeding potential through the neighboring ventricle or along the meninges, and this type of tumor becomes larger with local extension. We found no previous reports of the continuous extension into the fourth ventricle. The present case showed ventricular extension with minimal mass effect to adjacent structures, and did not disturb ventricular configuration. According to the unusual finding of ventricular extension, this rare case of pineoblastoma requires adjuvant chemotherapy. (+info)
Colloid cysts of the third ventricle: are MR imaging patterns predictive of difficulty with percutaneous treatment?
(3/146)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Colloid cysts of the third ventricle are rare benign brain tumors. The purpose of this study was to correlate their patterns on MR images with the probability of success of percutaneous treatment. METHODS: Nineteen patients underwent endoscopic treatment for colloid cysts of the third ventricle. The cases were divided into two groups based on difficulty of the aspiration procedure. We reviewed CT scans and MR images and divided cysts into groups based on their signal intensity on the MR images and their density on CT scans. Intensity and density were correlated with difficulty of aspiration during the endoscopic procedure. RESULTS: The aspiration procedure was difficult in 63% of the cases. Eighty-nine percent of hyperdense cysts on unenhanced axial CT scans were categorized as difficult, and 75% of hypodense cysts were categorized as easy. On T2-weighted MR sequences, 100% of low-signal cyst contents were difficult and nearly 63% of high-signal lesions were easy. There was a significant correlation between the T2-weighted sequences and the CT scans regarding the difficulty of the aspiration procedure. CONCLUSION: T2-weighted MR sequences are useful for predicting difficulty of aspiration during stereotactic or endoscopic procedures. A T2-weighted low-signal cyst is correlated with high-viscosity intracystic contents. (+info)
Isolated dilation of the trigono-inferior horn--four case reports.
(4/146)
Four patients presented with isolated dilation of the trigono-inferior horn associated with either mass lesion at the trigone of the lateral ventricle or with shunt over-drainage. We investigated clinical symptoms, course, and neuroradiological findings of these cases. The pressure of the isolated ventricle was measured or estimated at surgery in all cases. The common symptoms were recent memory disturbance and contralateral homonymous hemianopia. Contralateral hemiparesis was observed occasionally. Rapid deterioration of the isolation caused uncal herniation in one case. Comma-shaped dilation of the inferior horn was observed in all cases. Midline shift was not conspicuous except in one case. Intraventricular pressure at surgery was 18 cmH2O, 35 cmH2O, 3 cmH2O, and within normal range. These cases had very similar clinical symptoms and neuroradiological findings. The pathophysiology of isolation suggested three types of isolation (high-, normal-, and low-pressure isolation), depending on the pressure of the isolated ventricle. The isolation of trigono-inferior horn is an important clinical entity as it may cause uncal herniation in patients with high-pressure lesions. (+info)
Malignant spread of haemangioblastoma: report on two cases.
(5/146)
Two cases are described in which, after successful removal of a cerebellar haemangioblastoma followed by several years of freedom from symptoms, there developed a progressive spinal cord compression, leading to death. At necropsy the spinal cords in both cases and the brainstem in one case, were irregularly plastered with haemangioblastoma. Although there was no doubt that malignant spread had occurred from one or more primary tumours, the histology of the tumour tissue was in no way different from that of conventional haemangioblastoma. (+info)
Increased conspicuity of intraventricular lesions revealed by three-dimensional constructive interference in steady state sequences.
(6/146)
We describe our preliminary experience with the three-dimensional constructive interference in steady state (3D-CISS) sequence for the evaluation of intraventricular lesions. Cyst walls, extent and margins of tumors, and intratumoral cystic structures were clearly depicted on 3D-CISS images. The 3D-CISS sequence can offer additional information to conventional MR studies to define intraventricular lesions better. (+info)
Ependymoma with extensive lipidization mimicking adipose tissue: a report of five cases.
(7/146)
Lipomatous ependymoma is a recently described entity and only 3 cases of this variant have been reported in the literature. We report 5 cases of this rare variant of ependymoma. Patients age ranged from 4 years to 45 years and, interestingly, all of them were males. Two tumors were supratentorial in location, 2 in the fourth ventricle and 1 was intramedullary. Microscopically all of them showed the classical histology of ependymoma along with lipomatous differentiation. The lipomatous component was composed of cells with a large clear vacuole pushing the nucleus to the periphery and giving a signet ring cell appearance. This component demonstrated positivity for GFAP and S-100 protein thereby confirming its glial lineage. Three of the 5 tumors were high grade (WHO-grade III), had a high MIB-1 labelling index (MIB-1 LI) and showed recurrence on follow-up. However, 2 were low grade (WHO grade II) and patients are free of disease till the last follow up. (+info)
Intraventricular cryptococcal granuloma.
(8/146)
A case is reported of a cryptococcal granuloma occurring within the lateral ventricle. The findings on angiography and brain-scanning led to a preoperative diagnosis of intraventricular meningioma. There are no previous reports of an isotope brain-scan in this condition and angiography usually shows an avascular swelling. (+info)