Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and management of choroid plexus carcinoma in children

Background: Choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) is a rare tumour occurring in childhood. The MRI features are not well described. Objective: To characterise the MRI features of CPC in children and to describe the role of MRI in post-surgical management. Materials and methods: The pre- and post-operative MRI examinations of five children with histologically proven CPC treated at this hospital were reviewed. Results: The tumour was supratentorial in two patients and infratentorial in three patients. Pre-operative MRI showed heterogeneous enhancing tumours with irregular margins, parenchymal invasion and surrounding oedema. Cystic change within the tumour was present in all patients. Curvilinear signal voids were seen in two patients and punctate signal voids in one. All patients had hydrocephalus. In one patient a fourth-ventricular metastasis was present at diagnosis. In all cases, surgical resection was incomplete. Follow-up found long-term survival in one patient who had been treated with chemotherapy and further surgery. Conclusion: The MRI characteristics of CPC are nonspecific, but intraventricular location with tumour heterogeneity, parenchymal invasion and oedema may be useful features in diagnosis. MRI is valuable in the initial diagnosis, surgical planning and follow-up of children with these rare tumours. Received: 6 October 2000 Revised: 6 February 2001 Accepted: 5 March 2001