Published in:
01-09-2006 | Original Article
Paediatric brain-stem gliomas: MRI, FDG-PET and histological grading correlation
Published in: Pediatric Radiology | Issue 9/2006
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Background
MRI and FDG-PET may predict the histological grading of paediatric brain-stem gliomas.
Objective
To assess MRI findings and metabolic imaging using FDG-PET of brain-stem gliomas based on histological grading.
Materials and methods
Included in the study were 20 paediatric patients (age 3–14 years, mean 8.2 years) with brain-stem glioma (five glioblastomas, ten anaplastic astrocytomas and five low-grade astrocytomas). MR images were assessed for the anatomical site of tumour origin, focality, pattern of tumour growth, and enhancement.
Results
All glioblastomas were located in the pons and showed diffuse pontine enlargement with focally exophytic features. Eight anaplastic astrocytomas were located in the pons and demonstrated diffuse pontine enlargement without exophytic features. Low-grade astrocytomas were located in the pons, midbrain or medulla and showed focally exophytic growth features and peripheral enhancement. In 12 patients in whom FDG-PET was undertaken, glioblastomas showed hypermetabolic or hypometabolic lesions, anaplastic astrocytomas showed no metabolic change or hypometabolic lesions and low-grade astrocytomas showed hypometabolism compared with the cerebellum.
Conclusion
MRI findings correlated well with histological grading of brain-stem gliomas and MRI may therefore predict the histological grading. FDG-PET may be helpful in differentiating between anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastomas among high-grade tumours.