Ganglioneuromas in childhood: MRI and CT characteristics.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the typical appearance of ganglioneuromas in computer-assisted tomography (CT), and magnetic resonan ce imaging (MRI). Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of diagnosti c imaging (9 CT, 6 MRI) in 9 children aged 3 to 15 years with the histologi cal diagnosis of ganglioneuroma. Results: The tomographies showed large (ma x. 13.4 cm in diameter) round or oval tumors with sharp delineation. The si tes of the tumors were the retroperitoneum (5), the mediastinum (3), and th e adrenal gland (1). Intraspinal tumor involvement occurred in 4 cases. On comparing CT with MRI, MRI was more accurate in defining the intraspinal in volvement. The ganglioneuromas were of hypodense appearance in the native C T scan and showed moderate enhancement upon administration of contrast medi a. In five patients tumor calcifications with a disseminated sprinkled patt ern were seen in CT. In MRI T-1-weighted scans the tumors were homogeneous and hypointense, after gadolinium application a marked enhancement was evid ent. In T-2-weighted scans the tumors were hyperintense. Conclusion: At the time of diagnosis ganglioneuromas are generally large tumors which can be well detected by CT and MRI. Information towards the diagnosis is given by the appearance of the ganglioneuromas in CT and MRI. However, MRI is the mo dality of choice due to its superiority in documenting intraspinal tumor ex pansion.