title: Ependymomas of the posterior cranial fossa: CT and MRI findings.
abstract: We studied nine children with posterior cranial fossa ependymomas to identify specific neuroradiological features. Patients were studied preoperatively with CT and MRI; T1-, T2- and proton-density (PD)-weighted images were obtained. All children underwent surgery and a definite histopathological diagnosis was made. All the tumours grew into the fourth ventricle and caused dilatation of its upper part, which resembled a cap. All but one were separated from the vermis by a cleavage plane. In eight cases there was desmoplastic development through the foramina of the fourth ventricle, and five were heterogeneous due to necrosis and cystic change; one had a haemorrhagic area. In most cases the solid portion was isointense with grey matter on T1-weighted images, hyperintense on PD weighting, and isointense on T2-weighted images. On CT the tumour was isodense in six cases and calcification was detected in four. The presence of both desmoplastic development and a tumour/vermis cleavage plane in a posterior cranial fossa tumour isodense on CT is highly suggestive of ependymoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Children's Hospital Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tortori-Donati
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fondelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cama
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Garrè
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andreussi
mesh_terms: D002551:Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA