Signal intensity of brain metastases on T2-weighted images: specificity for metastases from colonic cancers.
In this report, we present and discuss the signal intensity of brain metastases from colon cancer on both T1- and T2-weighted images. In five of 6 cases, metastases were seen as markedly hypointense areas on T2-weighted images. This finding should alert one to the possibility of a primary cancer of the colon. Some haemorrhagic metastases from other malignancies also showed marked hypointensity. They usually exhibited hyperintensity on T1-weighted images. A case of colon metastasis was also haemorrhagic, and in this case a hyperintense area was observed on T1-weighted images. The marked hypointense area corresponded to peripheral necrosis and probably some viable tumour. Aetiologically, such hypointensity was not induced by severe fibrosis, calcification or excessive iron deposition.
Suzuki
M
M
Department of Radiology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
Takashima
T
T
Kadoya
M
M
Ueda
T
T
Arakawa
F
F
Ueda
F
F
Yamashita
J
J
Yamashima
T
T
Nonomura
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged