MRI characteristics of central neurocytoma in different locations and related literature review

Objective:To study the MRI features of the central neurocytoma(CNC)in different locations to reach a further neuroradiologic understanding of the disease.Methods:MRI findings in 11cases with pathologically-proved CNC were retrospectively reviewed with reference to related literature.Results:The lesions were located at the lateral ventricular body in eight of 11cases,and the lateral ventricles presented somewhat hydrocephalus.The tumors was round、elliptic or irregular.Solid component of the tumor was isointense on T1WI,isointense or slightly hyperintense on T2WI,and hyperintense on DWI while multiple cystic degenerations in various sizes within the tumor were detected in all cases.Solid component demonstrated remarkable enhancement.The lesion was located in the trigone of lateral ventricle in one case.It was irregular along the ventricular wall and heterogeneously hypointense on T1WI,hyperintense with stripy low signal on T2WI,and hypointense on DWI with marked irregularly circular enhancement.There were 2cases with lesions located beyond the ventricles.One of the two lesions was located in the frontal lobe,the other one lesion was located in the thalamus.Irregular shape,mixed signal,cystic changes,and hemorrhage within the tumor were revealed.Mild perifocal edema and markedly inhomogeneous patchy enhancement were also demonstrated.Conclusion:CNC located at ventricular body has some typical MRI features which are helpful in making correct pre-operative diagnosis in most cases combining with usual sites and patient age.However,the manifestations in other locations are short of peculiarities resulting in that the correct preoperative diagnosis is not easy to be established,and the final diagnosis may depend on pathology and immunohistochemistry.