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Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Neuroradiology brain, Paediatric, MR, MR-Diffusion/Perfusion, Contrast agent-intravenous, Diagnostic procedure, Decision analysis, Neoplasia, Pathology
Authors:
R. E. Coroiu, I. RAUS; Cluj Napoca/RO
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2016/C-1437
Conclusion
Conventional MRI is the primary imaging modality used for the evaluation of posterior fossa tumors in pediatric age.
Advance MRI (DWI) discriminates much better between different types of pediatric brain tumors. Several studies (Yamasaki et al; Rumbolt et al; Schneider et al; Bull et al) demonstrated that pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) are characterized by significantly higher average ADC values than ependymomas (EPs) and medulloblastomas,
but no clear difference was shown between EPs and MBs .
There is a considerable interest in developing new imaging tools to noninvasively predict tumor types and subtypes.
This may offer added value for first-line surgical treatment planning before histologic and molecular diagnosis is available and in follow-up decision-making when repeated biopsies are unattainable.
Most approaches demand a significant increase in acquisition time (e.g.
MR spectroscopy) and may be expensive and not always available.
Nevertheless,
before any type of treatment is practiced,
it should be checked for spread of leptomeningeal dissemination for all posterior fossa tumors except pilocytic astrocytoma.