title: Characteristic CT and MRI findings of intracranial chondroma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intracranial chondromas are rare benign tumors. To date, few data are available on their neuroradiological features.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe a series of patients with intracranial chondroma and to analyze and discuss the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features that may distinguish chondromas from other intracranial neoplasms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed clinical and medical imaging data of six patients who had pathologically confirmed intracranial chondromas in our two institutions between July 2006 and September 2011. Both CT and MRI scanning were performed in all six cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five tumors were located at the skull base and one originated from the falx. CT images revealed well-demarcated, irregular lobulated and variable density masses with obvious calciﬁcation (6/6), no or slight enhancement, without peritumoral edema, and frequently accompanied by erosion and destruction of surrounding bone (5/6). Tumor parenchyma appeared heterogeneously hypointense on T1WI, and hyperintense or mixed hyperintense and hypointense on T2WI, while the calciﬁcation appeared hypointense on T1WI and T2WI in five cases, demonstrating significant inhomogeneous enhancement on postcontrast MRI, which revealed the typical "punica granatum seeds" sign. Only one case showed homogeneous low signal intensity on T1WI and high signal intensity on T2WI, and relatively uniform obvious enhancement on postcontrast scans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These characteristic CT and MR findings, combined with the location of the lesions and the history of a long duration of clinical symptoms, may prove helpful in differentiating intracranial chondromas from other more common tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Fuhong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Shijun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Zhenyin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Weicong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chuhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002812:Chondroma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004388:Dura Mater; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA