Metastatic brain tumours from oesophageal carcinoma: Neuro-imaging and clinicopathological characteristics in Japanese patients

Background. Since metastatic brain tumours from esophageal carcinoma are es sentially rare, previous reports have not determined the common neuro-radio logical findings and its clinical aspects. Findings. We report the neuro-imaging and clinicopathological features of o ur 8 metastatic brain tumours from an esophageal site. Histologically, 6 of our 8 patients had squamous cell carcinoma and 2 had small cell carcinoma, a rare variant form. Both histological types mainly exhibited cystic lesio ns with a thin enhanced rim on magnetic resonance images (MRI, 4 of 6 squam ous cell carcinomas and 1 of 2 small cell carcinomas). Combination therapy (irradiation and chemotherapy) after surgical treatment, the number of meta static brain tumours, and the interval between their appearance and the dia gnosis of the primary lesion could be prognostic factors in our series. Interpretation. Among Japanese, the vast majority of primary esophageal can cers are squamous cell carcinomas. Therefore, MRI findings of a cystic tumo ur with a thin enhanced rim may alert one to the possibility of a metastati c brain tumour from the esophagus.