[Ganglioneuromas in childhood: CT and MRI characteristics].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to demonstrate the typical appearance of ganglioneuromas in computer-assisted tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of diagnostic imaging (9 CT, 6 MRI) in 9 children aged 3 to 15 years with the histological diagnosis of ganglioneuroma.


RESULTS
The tomographies showed large (max. 13.4 cm in diameter) round or oval tumors with sharp delineation. The sites of the tumors were the retroperitoneum (5), the mediastinum (3), and the adrenal gland (1). Intraspinal tumor involvement occurred in 4 cases. On comparing CT with MRI, MRI was more accurate in defining the intraspinal involvement. The ganglioneuromas were of hypodense appearance in the native CT scan and showed moderate enhancement upon administration of contrast media. In five patients tumor calcifications with a disseminated sprinkled pattern were seen in CT. In MRI T1-weighted scans the tumors were homogeneous and hypointense, after gadolinium application a marked enhancement was evident. In T2-weighted scans the tumors were hyperintense.


CONCLUSIONS
At the time of diagnosis ganglioneuromas are generally large tumors which can be well detected by CT and MRI. Information towards the diagnosis is given by the appearance of the ganglioneuromas in CT and MRI. However, MRI is the modality of choice due to its superiority in documenting intraspinal tumor expansion.
Scherer
A
A
Institut für Diagnostische Radiologie, Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf. scherera@uni-duesseldorf.de
Niehues
T
T
Engelbrecht
V
V
Mödder
U
U
D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005729:Ganglioneuroma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Ganglioneurome im Kindesalter: CT- und MRT-Charakteristika.