title: Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor with atypical presentation: MRI and diffusion tensor characteristics.
abstract: We report the neuroimaging findings of a 26-year-old female patient with a biopsy-proven dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNET). DNETs are an uncommon, usually benign, glial-neural cortical neoplasm of children and young adults who typically present with intractable seizures. DNETs may occur in any region of the supratentorial cortex, but have a predilection for the temporal lobes. Accurate neuroimaging diagnosis is essential since patients with DNET benefit from complete resection. However, accurate differentiation from other cortical lesions may be challenging. Typical conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) features can help in the differentiation from other similar cortical tumors. Diffusion tensor imaging can also provide important additional diagnostic information regarding the degree of involvement of adjacent parenchyma and white matter tracts. In this case, tractography and fractional anisotropy maps demonstrated that fiber tracts surrounding the lesion were displaced, but fiber integrity was maintained, which is more suggestive of a DNET rather than a more aggressive neoplasm. Accurate identification of DNETs is essential for the purpose of rendering a timely diagnosis and start appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, the George Washington University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Kalyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paudel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, the George Washington University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borofsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the George Washington University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Robert V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, the George Washington University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Lucien M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003399:Craniotomy; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018302:Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Diffusion tensor imaging; Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNET); Neuroimaging; Tractography