Posterior fossa glioblastoma multiforme: MR findings

• Published in: American journal of neuroradiology : AJNR Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 583 - 589
• Main Authors: Kuroiwa, T, Numaguchi, Y, Rothman, MI, Zoarski, GH, Morikawa, M, Zagardo, MT, Kristt, DA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oak Brook, IL Am Soc Neuroradiology 01.03.1995; American Society of Neuroradiology
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Stem - pathology; Brain Stem - surgery; Cerebellar Neoplasms - diagnosis; Cerebellar Neoplasms - pathology; Cerebellar Neoplasms - surgery; Cerebellum - pathology; Cerebellum - surgery; Cerebral Hemorrhage - diagnosis; Cerebral Hemorrhage - pathology; Cerebral Hemorrhage - surgery; Child; Child, Preschool; Cranial Fossa, Posterior; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Glioblastoma - diagnosis; Glioblastoma - pathology; Glioblastoma - surgery; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Necrosis; Nervous system; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Retrospective Studies; Performance evaluation; Human; Malignant glioma; Nervous system diseases; Central nervous system disease; Exploration; Malignant tumor; Posterior fossa; Technique; Glioblastoma multiforme; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging
• ISSN: 0195-6108; 1936-959X

To characterize the MR findings of glioblastoma multiforme in the posterior fossa. MR studies of nine patients with surgically proved posterior fossa glioblastoma multiforme were retrospectively evaluated. MR characteristics studied included tumor location, signal intensity, enhancement pattern, and presence of intratumoral hemorrhage, as well as presence of secondary hydrocephalus or metastatic spread. The tumors were located in the median portion of the cerebellum or brain stem in eight cases. Six extended into the fourth ventricle. Hydrocephalus was seen in four cases. Six cases demonstrated decreased T1- and increased T2-weighted signal intensities. Three cases demonstrated mixed signal intensities suggesting intratumoral hemorrhage. All of the eight patients who received contrast showed moderate to marked heterogeneous ringlike enhancement suggesting intratumoral necrosis. Multicentric/multifocal lesions or extraaxial metastases were identified in three of the nine cases, and there was extracranial extension into the cervical region in one case. Glioblastoma multiforme is a rare tumor in the posterior fossa. Differentiating it from metastatic tumor or malignant astrocytoma was difficult. However, combination of heterogeneous and ringlike enhancement, midline location, poorly defined margin, tumoral hemorrhage, concomitant multicentric/multifocal lesions, and extraaxial or extracranial metastasis may be clues for the prospective diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme.