Lateral ventricle gliomas and central neurocytomas in adults diagnosis and perspectives

Abstract

Neuroimaging data of lateral ventricle gliomas and central neurocytomas diagnosed in one institution were reviewed and compared to the corresponding literature data. CT and MRI imaging characteristics of the two tumour types are rather different, both in reported cases as well as in our material. In our series ventricular ependymomas (eight cases) were mostly hyperdense with pronounced contrast uptake. Thirteen subependymomas were hypodense, mostly without enhancement, but occasionally mild or moderate enhancement was noted. Eight subependymal giant cell astrocytomas also displayed hypodense, rarely hyperdense or mixed imaging characteristics, and always showed significant degree of contrast enhancement. Nineteen central neurocytomas showed hypo- or mixed density, but mostly mild to moderate enhancement. Ependymomas and anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas followed the characteristics of the similar extraventricular ones. In our series low-grade astrocytomas, WHO I–II [Louis DN, Ohgaki H, Wiestler OD, Canevee WK. WHO classification of tumours of the central nervous system. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2007] were hypodense without contrast uptake. Our data support those of previous studies in that MRI has been found to be superior to CT for a more precise imaging of lateral ventricle gliomas. However, it is of note that for the verification of an intraventricular tumour CT is also satisfactory. Survival data were available in 65 cases, which have confirmed a favourable outcome in most of the patients with subependymoma, subependymal giant cell astrocytoma, central neurocytomas or pilocytic astrocytoma. Survival of patients with other types of glial tumour was similar to that of patients with a similar tumour, but in an extraventricular localisation.