Supratentorial ependymomas. Neuroimaging and clinicopathological correlation.

Abstract

In 10 patients with supratentorial ependymomas, the tumors exhibited hyperdensity on computerized tomography (CT) scanning prior to contrast infusion and, with one exception, all tumors were mixed lesions with the low densities suggesting cystic or necrotic portions. Eighty percent of the tumors contained small calcifications. Characteristically, the tumors were well demarcated and demonstrated moderate to marked enhancement after the intravenous administration of contrast material. Angiograms obtained in some patients showed mild hypervascular tumor staining and absence of large feeding arteries. The degree of contrast enhancement, angiographic vascularity, and tumor stain was compared to the pathological anaplasia of the tumors. No correlation was observed. Of four patients who were still alive during a follow-up period of 4 years or longer, three had recurrences with inoperable tumors; the remaining patient is without recurrence after craniospinal radiation. This same patient belonged to a group of five patients with a diagnosis of high-grade ependymoma, four of whom had recurrence. Follow-up CT accurately recorded the clinical course of each patient. Annual routine follow-up examinations are proposed for patients with low-grade ependymomas, and for those with high-grade ependymomas follow-up CT should be performed every 6 months. The characteristic appearance and behavior of these tumors include several distinctive features on angiographic and CT images.