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Paediatric brain-stem gliomas: MRI, FDG-PET and histological grading correlation

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Abstract

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, 28, Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, 110-744, Seoul, South Korea

    Jong Won Kwon, In-One Kim, Jung-Eun Cheon, Woo Sun Kim, Sung Gyu Moon, Tae Jung Kim & Kyung Mo Yeon

  2. Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea

    Je Geun Chi

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea

    Kyu-Chang Wang

  4. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea

    June Key Chung

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  1. Jong Won Kwon
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  2. In-One Kim
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  3. Jung-Eun Cheon
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  4. Woo Sun Kim
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  5. Sung Gyu Moon
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  6. Tae Jung Kim
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  7. Je Geun Chi
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  8. Kyu-Chang Wang
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  9. June Key Chung
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  10. Kyung Mo Yeon
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Correspondence to In-One Kim.

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Kwon, J.W., Kim, IO., Cheon, JE. et al. Paediatric brain-stem gliomas: MRI, FDG-PET and histological grading correlation. Pediatr Radiol 36, 959–964 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-006-0256-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-006-0256-5

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