Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2013
Journal
Radiology Case Reports
Volume
Volume 8, Issue 2
Inclusive Pages
Article number 753
Abstract
We report the magnetic resonance imaging findings of an adult patient with a biopsy-proven pilocytic astrocytoma with anaplastic features. Pilocytic astrocytomas rarely occur in adults, and presentation with anaplastic features such as rapid mitotic activity, hypercellularity, and atypia is particularly uncommon. Accurate neuroimaging diagnosis is essential, but differentiation from more malignant neoplastic lesions may be challenging. Diffusion tensor imaging may potentially provide information on cell proliferation, vascularity, and fiber destruction, which can have implications for treatment and prognosis. In this case, tractography and fractional anisotropy maps demonstrated displacement of adjacent parenchyma and relatively intact fractional anisotropy, which is more suggestive of a pilocytic rather than an anaplastic astrocytoma. However, in the presence of focal anaplasia, long-term monitoring will be necessary, since pilocytic astrocytomas with anaplastic features frequently recur.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
APA Citation
Walkoff, L., Degnan, A.J., Ghassibi, M., Jones, R.V., Sherman, J.H., Levy, L.M. (2013). Neuroimaging of a pilocytic astrocytoma with anaplastic features and diffusion tensor imaging characteristics. Radiology Case Reports, 8(1), 753.
Peer Reviewed
1
Open Access
1
Comments
Reproduced with permission of University of Washington, Radiology Case Reports.