Computed tomography in the diagnosis of intracranial neoplasms in children

✍ Scribed by Hervey D. Segall; Solomon Batnitzky; Chi-Shing Zee; Jamshid Ahmadi; C. Roger Bird; Michael E. Cohen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 829 KB
• Volume: 56
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19851001)56:7+<1748::aid-cncr2820561304>3.0.co;2-#

✦ Synopsis

The authors discuss their original observations using computed tomography (CI') in the diagnosis of posterior fossa neoplasms in children. The subject of CT diagnosis of childhood supratentorial tumors is also reviewed. However, despite the documented value of 0, the authors believe that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will eventually offer certain advantages that will make MRI the primary imaging modality for intracranial neoplasms in children.

Cancer 56:1748-1755, 1985.

OMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) cannot be expected

C to answer all questions posed in the evaluation of brain tumors of childhood, yet it is impressive how much has been accomplished with this modality during the last decade. Using this technique, few neoplasms have been missed at the time of clinical presentation, and with increasing experience and improving technology, an even smaller percentage will escape detection.

There may be considerable difficulty in correlating specific histopathologic features with CT images. Nonetheless, in selected circumstances, an experienced pediatric neuroradiologist can, using CT (and integrating additional information), predict certain pathologic lesions with a high degree of accuracy. This article reviews those instances where CT has shown particularly good specificity and, in addition, highlights the use of CT in the diagnosis of intracranial neoplasms of children.

I. Posterior Fossa Neoplasms

Neoplasms of the posterior fossa account for approximately one half of all pediatric intracranial neoplasms.'