Neuroimaging of cerebellar liponeurocytoma - Case report

Cerebellar liponeurocytoma is a newly recognized, rare clinicopathological entity. It manifests with posterior fossa symptoms in adults and is charact erized histopathologically by advanced neuronal and focal lipomatous differ entiation with a low level of mitotic activity. The authors analyzed the co mputerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings in two patients with histopathologically proven cerebellar liponeurocytomas an d review the Literature. Cerebellar liponeurocytoma may be suspected on the basis of neuroimaging findings that demonstrate an intraaxial neoplasm wit h the propensity for exophytic growth into the adjacent subarachnoid spaces . On CT scans, the tumor commonly presents as a hypointense mass with inter mingled areas exhibiting the attenuation values of fatty tissue. On T-1-wei ghted MR images, the tumor is hypointense with scattered foci of hyperinten se signal and displays moderate contrast enhancement. On T-2-weighted MR im ages, the tumor is slightly hyperintense to cortex, and edema is usually ab sent. Areas of fat density as assessed on CT scans and of T-1 hyperintensit y seen on MR images help to distinguish this rare neoplasm from the more co mmon adult medulloblastomas or ependymomas. The available follow-up data in dicate a favorable clinical prognosis; therefore, knowledge and precise cha racterization of this tumor is important to avoid unnecessary adjuvant radi o- or chemotherapy.