Central skull base lymphoma in children: MR and CT features.
BACKGROUND
Central skull base tumours are rare in children.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize the imaging features of central skull base lymphoma in children to aid its diagnosis.


METHODS
The authors reviewed the CT findings (available in three patients) and MR findings (available in four patients) in four patients (three boys, one girl; age 2-12 years) with pathologically proven lymphoma (two with Burkitt lymphoma, two with B-cell lymphoma) involving the central skull base. Tumour location and extent, MRI signal intensities, noncontrast CT attenuation, patterns of enhancement, and changes in adjacent structures were evaluated.


RESULTS
All four tumours involved the sphenoid bone. In three patients, the tumour extended to the ethmoid sinus and both cavernous sinuses. All lesions were isointense solid masses on T2-weighted images and showed avid enhancement, except for one lesion with a focal necrosis. All tumours were associated with adjacent dural thickening. Non-contrast CT showed highly attenuating masses and permeative bone destruction in the central skull base.


CONCLUSIONS
Lymphoma involving the central skull base in children is visualized as an isointense mass on T2-weighted MRI with marked contrast enhancement and adjacent dural thickening, and as a highly attenuating mass on noncontrast CT with permeative or erosive bone destruction patterns.
Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yeongeon-dong Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Hei-Kyung
HK
Choi
Jung-Eun
JE
Cheon
In-One
IO
Kim
Byung Jae
BJ
Youn
Ah Young
AY
Jung
Su-Mi
SM
Shin
Woo Sun
WS
Kim
Kyung Mo
KM
Yeon
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*