title: Imaging predictors of intracranial ependymomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify significant imaging prognostic factors for intracranial ependymomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  This series includes 32 patients (18 male and 14 female), with an age at surgery ranging from 1 to 69 years (median, 20.5 years). The preoperative images and medical records were reviewed. The following imaging predictors, including tumor size, consistency, signal character, enhanced pattern, calcification, hemorrhage, perifocal edema, and tumor spread, were analyzed by 2 radiologists independently. Overall survival and progression-free survival were calculated by the Kaplan and Meier method. The difference in these imaging predictors in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival was tested for statistical significance by the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was also performed using the Cox proportional hazard model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that the presence of tumor spread on preoperative images was the only significant imaging predictor in overall and progression-free survivals (P < 0.0001). The hazard ratio of progression-free survival in the presence of tumor spread on preoperative images was 18.59 (95% confidence interval: 1.57-220.13; P = 0.020).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of tumor spread on preoperative images is the only significant imaging predictor for patients with intracranial ependymomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, E-Da Hospital and I-shou University, Kachsiung County, Taiwan, Republic of China. radcjc@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Chi-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ying-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Hui-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Shih-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed