[Non-tumor enhancement at the surgical margin on CT after the removal of brain tumors].
Marginal enhancement is occasionally seen at the surgical margin on CT after the total removal of brain tumors. This enhancement disappears in due time, and therefore we call it non-tumor enhancement. It is often difficult, however, to differentiate non-tumor enhancement from tumor recurrence. In this study, we attempted to determine the characteristics of non-tumor enhancement. The subjects of the study consisted of 15 patients with astrocytoma and one with metastatic tumor in whom sequential CT scans had been performed after total removal of the tumor. Based on the observation of these sequential CT scans, the characteristics of non-tumor enhancement were presumed to be as follows: 1) In four cases, enhancement at the surgical margin persisted more than four months after surgery and then disappeared. Therefore, these cases were considered non-tumor enhancement. Prolonged duration of enhancement such as that in these cases is not necessarily due to recurrence. 2) Marginal enhancement within 3 mm in thickness and with a well-demarcated border like that of a falx is likely to be non-tumor enhancement.
Adachi
M
M
Department of Radiology and Neurosurgery, Yamagata University.
Hosoya
T
T
Yamaguchi
K
K
Yamada
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed