[Magnetic resonance imaging features of primary brain lymphoma:a report of nine cases].
OBJECTIVE
Primary brain lymphoma, a rare tumor, is often misdiagnosed as malignant glioma or metastases before operation. A definite preoperative diagnosis of primary brain lymphoma is of great significance because of its sensitive to chemotherapy and irradiation. This study was to analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of primary brain lymphoma to improve the diagnosis and differential diagnosis accuracy.


METHODS
MRI findings in 9 patients with pathologically proved primary brain lymphoma were analyzed for the number of lesions, tumor site, signal intensity, peritumoral edema, mass effect and contrast enhancement patterns.


RESULTS
Of the 9 patients, 8 had supratentorial solitary lesion, and 1 had supratentorial and infratentorial solitary lesion. On plain MRI, 8 lesions were hypo-intense and 1 iso-intense on T1WI, while 6 displayed iso-intense, 1 hypo-intense and 2 slightly hyper-intense on T2WI. Necrosis was seen in 2 lesions. The peritumoral edema was mild in 5 lesions, moderate in 3 lesions, and severe in 1 lesion. On Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI, 4 lesions displayed obvious homogeneous mass-like enhancement, 3 lobular enhancement and 2 ring-like enhancement.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary brain lymphoma in immunocompetent patients has typical MRI features. Correct diagnosis could be made before operation when imaging findings are considered together with clinical data.
Zhang
Wei-Dong
WD
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China. dongw.z@163.com
Wu
Pei-Hong
PH
Xie
Chuan-Miao
CM
Li
Hui
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D019786:Gadolinium DTPA