CNS Flashcards
Key differences of lymphoma vs toxoplasmosis?
Lymphoma -
Solitary lesion
Subependymal spread/corpus callosum
Restricts DWI
Hyperdense on CT
HOT Thallium SPECT
Toxoplasmosis -
Multiple lesions.
Significant oedema - target sign
Basal ganglia
No restriction DWI
COLD Thallium SPECT
Paediatric brain tumour with asymtetical ventricular dilatation?
Choroid plexus papilloma
Large, mixed solid/cystic mass in child < 2 years of age with increasing head circumference and bulging Fontelle’s ?
Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma/Astrocytoma (DIG)
Is always SUPRTENTORIAL
Good prognosis vs the INFRATENTORIAL Atypical teratoma/rhabdoid
Giant hemispheric tumor of superficial cortex & leptomeninges, often attached to dura
Large, mixed solid/cystic mass in child < 2 years of age
Cortically based, enhancing solid nodule/plaque, adjacent pia + reactive dural thickening
Imaging features of Dandy-walker malformation?
Cystic dilatation of the 4th ventricle
Enlarged posterior fossa with elevated tentorium - ‘Torcular-lamboid inversion’
Cerebellar vermis agenesis - superior rotated vermain remnant
Small and widely spaced cerebellar hemispheres
Hydrocephalous
addition-
dysgenesis or agenesis of the corpus callosum
occipital encephalocele
polymicrogyria and grey matter heterotopia
What defines persistent Blacke pouch?
Cyst posterior and inferior to the vermis, that communicates with the 4th ventricle but not the cisterna magna
Structurally normal vermis that is rotated
Posterior fossa is not expanded
Tentorium is elevated
Mega cisterna magna =
Increases T2 signal in bilateral medial thalamus and periaqueductal gray and enhancement of the mammillary bodies?
Wernicke
WW1
Remember wernickes is Thiamine deficency - T for thalmus
T2 bright globus pallidus?
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Swelling and T2 bright corpus callosum in alcoholic ?
Marchiafava-Bignami
Optic nerve atrophy, haemorrhagic putaminal and subcortical white matter necrosis?
Methanol poisoning
Appearances of acute hepatic encephalopathy?
AHE: Bilateral swollen T2-/FLAIR-hyperintense gyri (most severe insular cortex, cingulate gyri) with diffusion restriction
Appearances of chronic hepatic encephalopathy?
CHE: Bilateral T1WI hyperintensity in basal ganglia (BG), particularly globus pallidus (GP)
Neonatal CNS infection with periventricular calcifications and polymicrogyria?
CMV
Neonatal CNS infection with basal ganglia calcifications and hydrocephalus ?
Toxoplasmosis
Neonatal CNS infection with Haemorrhagic infarcts resulting in encephalomalacia and atrophy?
HSV
nb - 90% HSV-2
Unlike HSV-1 in adults doesnt involve limbic system
Neonatal CNS infection with predominant frontal lobe atrophy?
HIV
Key difference between HIV encephalitis and progressive multifocal leukoencepalopathy?
HIV = Symmetric T2 hyperintensities deep WM that spare the subcortical U fibres. T1 signal is normal
PML - Asymmetric scattered T1 hypointensities and T2 hyperintensities out of proportion to mass effect. U fibres involved.
HIV with brain atrophy, periventricular hypodensities and ependymal enhancement?
CMV
Imaging patterns of Cryptococcus
-Cryptococcomas are typically non-enhancing low density lesions in the basal ganglia/dilated perivascular (Virchow-Robin) spaces filled with fungi, mucoid material.
Differentiated from VR spaces on FLAIR - VR spaces will suppress (being CSF in content)
-Leptomeningeal enhancement - Basilar meningitis
Features of HSV encephalitis in adult?
-Swollen medial temporal lobe and T2 hyperintense
- ***Diffusion restriction is the earliest sign
- Spares basal ganglia (distinguish from MCA stroke)
High T2/FLAIR on the dorsal medial thalamus, caudate lobe and putamina bilaterally with diffusion restriction?
CJD
Nb - called ‘ hockey stick’ sign
Also look for cortical gyriform restriction
WW3
C = caudate nuclei
4 stages of Neurocysticercosis (VCGN) ?
Vesicular -
Thin walled cyst - CSF pattern. No pericystic oedema. (Low T1/T2)
scolex (hole with dot appearance)
Colloidal -
Hyperdense cyst - proteinaceous fluid) (High T1/T2) . **pericystic oedema and enhancement **
scolex (hole with dot appearance) can persist
Granular -
Cyst shrinks, small ring-enhancing or solid nodule enhancement. less pericysitc oedema
Nodular -
Small calcified lesion. no oedema or enhancement. hypointense on all sequences due to calcification
Signs of extra-axial location ?
CSF Cleft
Displaced subarachnoid vessels
Displaced and expanded subarachnoid spaces
Cortical gray matter between the mass and white matter
Borad dural base/tail
Bony reaction
MRCT is mnemonic for haemorrhagic/hyperdense brain Mets?
Melanoma
Renal Cell
Carcinoid/Choriocarcinoma
Thyroid
Cortically based tumours ( P- DOG) ?
Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma (PXA)
Dysembryoblastic neuroepithelial tumour (DNET)
Oligodendroglioma
Ganglioglioma
Adult (40-50s) temporal lobe mass cortical mass ± adjacent enhancing leptomeninges . Often cystic with enhancing mural nodule
PXA
Peripheral based cortical tumour that abuts the meninges and history of seizures!!
**Can have Dural tail sign **
Cystic and mural enhancing nodule
Can be very similar to ganglioglioma
Adult (40-50s) frontal lobe mass with calcificaiton, that expands the cortex?
Oligodendroglioma
CALCIFICATION
1p/19Q deletion = Great prognosis
Can enhance. Calcification is Key!!
Temporal lobe too!!
Teenager with seizures, Temporal lobe mass that is cystic and solid with focal calcifications?
Ganglioglioma
MURAL nodule typical
WELL-CIRCUMSRIBED.
It is low grade but can enhance. Can look lie ANY cancer.
Commonest cause for temporal epilepsy
Teenager with drug resistant epilepsy, temporal lobe lesion. High T2 signal ‘bubbly lesion’ ?
DNET
MULTICYSTIC
Doesn’t enhanced and little if any surrounding oedema
FLAIR the lesions show a hyperintense ring