title: Craniopharyngiomas--the utility of contrast medium enhancement for MR imaging at 1.5 T.
abstract: To evaluate the efficacy of i.v. contrast medium administration in MR imaging at 1.5 T in patients with craniopharyngiomas, MR studies of 10 men and 6 women with pathologically proven craniopharyngiomas were made. The MR images were obtained as 3- to 5-mm-thick coronal (n = 13) or axial (n = 3) Tl-weighted images (T1WI) prior to and following i.v. Gd-DTPA administration. Proton density- (PD) and T2-weighted images (T2WI) were also obtained. Conspicuity of tumor margins, cystic versus solid components, size, location and effect upon adjacent structures were separately characterized in all imaging sequences. In 6 patients contrast medium-enhanced T1WI. PD and T2WI demonstrated cystic tumor components not seen on unenhanced T1WI. There were significant differences (p < 0.004) on 2-tailed Student's t-test comparing tumor conspicuity on contrast medium-enhanced T1WI with unenhanced T1WI, PD and T2WI. Optimal tumor delineation on MR imaging of patients with craniopharyngiomas justifies the use of i.v. contrast medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hald
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Eldevik
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Brunberg
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Chandler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000473:pathology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009897:Optic Chiasm / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA