title: Metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain: MR with pathologic correlation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the appearance on T2-weighted scans of metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain and to show that the hypointensity frequently associated with these lesions is not related to the presence of mucin, blood products, iron, or calcium.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MR scans of 14 patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain were reviewed retrospectively. The signal intensity on T2-weighted scans of the solid enhancing portion of the tumors was compared with white matter. Histologic examination of the surgical specimens included special stains to search for calcium, mucin, and iron.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight of nine surgical and all six nonsurgical lesions were either iso- or hypointense to white matter on T2-weighted scans. There was no correlation with tumor histology or the presence of mucin, blood products, iron, or calcium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of a hypointense intraaxial mass on T2-weighted scans strongly suggests the possibility of metastatic adenocarcinoma. The MR appearance is not explained by the presence of mucin, blood products, iron, or calcium. This phenomenon most likely reflects the relaxation parameters of the tissue from which the metastasis arose.
authors.affiliation: Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center/PSRD, Dept of Radiology, Lackland AFB, TX 78236-5300.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Carrier
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mawad
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D009077:Mucins; D007501:Iron; D002118:Calcium