Central nervous system lymphoma: magnetic resonance imaging features at presentation

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This paper aimed at studying presentations of the central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma using structural images obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: The MRI features at presentation of 15 patients diagnosed with CNS lymphoma in a university hospital, between January 1999 and March 2011, were analyzed by frequency and cross tabulation. RESULTS: All patients had supratentorial lesions; and four had infra- and supratentorial lesions. The signal intensity on T1 and T2 weighted images was predominantly hypo- or isointense. In the T2 weighted images, single lesions were associated with a hypointense signal component. Six patients presented necrosis, all of them showed perilesional abnormal white matter, nine had meningeal involvement, and five had subependymal spread. Subependymal spread and meningeal involvement tended to occur in younger patients. CONCLUSION: Presentations of lymphoma are very pleomorphic, but some of them should point to this diagnostic possibility.

Evolution of a Pediatric Primary Cerebral ALK-1-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma on Serial MRI

“…Here, we present the case of a 10-year-old immunocompetent male with evolution of ALK-1-positive anaplastic T-cell lymphoma on MRI, visualized over 24 days with four MRIs. Despite numerous descriptions of radiographic features of PCNSL in immunocompetent patients, there has been no documentation of a PCNSL evolving so rapidly on serial imaging [6,7,9,11,12,13,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34]. …”

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and its Clinical Applications: A Review

“…Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare, dense brain tumour without a necrotic area and other imaging characteristic of PCNS lymphoma. Sometimes, the distinguishing PCNSLs from highgrade gliomas will be difficult, which in turn makes difficulties in the selection of effective therapy method [137,138].…”

Linfoma do sistema nervoso central: ensaio iconográfico

“…However, lesions may be observed in other sites such as the hypophysis, cavernous sinus, hypothalamus, pineal gland, and posterior fossa. Periventricular or superficial lesions, in contact with the meningeal or ventricular surfaces (intraventricular lesions for example), are commonly found (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7) .…”

“…The presence of this kind of lesion involving the corpus callosum is highly suggestive of lymphoma ( Figure 1) (5) . Additionally, not only the image but also the frequent subependimal dissemination can demonstrate the common perilesional edema which occurs in varied degrees and the mass effect (Figure 2A) (4)(5)(6)(7) . Several significant similarities may be found between patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and patients with other forms of immunosuppression.…”

“…In regard to contrast-enhancement, several series have demonstrated that its absence can be considered as being rare in CNS lymphomas ( Figure 5) (5,6) . lymphomas.…”