Brain tumor CT

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Brain tumor Microchapters

Patient Information

Overview

Classification

Adult brain tumors

Glioblastoma multiforme
Oligodendroglioma
Meningioma
Hemangioblastoma
Pituitary adenoma
Schwannoma
Primary CNS lymphoma
Childhood brain tumors

Pilocytic astrocytoma
Medulloblastoma
Ependymoma
Craniopharyngioma
Pinealoma
Metastasis

Lung cancer
Breast cancer
Melanoma
Gastrointestinal tract cancer
Renal cell carcinoma
Osteoblastoma
Head and neck cancer
Neuroblastoma
Lymphoma
Prostate cancer

Causes

Differentiating Brain Tumor from other Diseases

## Overview

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Imaging plays a central role in the diagnosis of brain tumors. On head CT scan, brain cancer is characterized by hypodense mass lesions.

## CT

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* Benign brain tumors often show up as hypodense (darker than brain tissue) mass lesions on cranial CT-scans. Contrast agent uptake, sometimes in characteristic patterns, can be demonstrated on either CT in most malignant primary and metastatic brain tumors. This is due to the fact that these tumors disrupt the normal functioning of the blood-brain barrier and lead to an increase in its permeability.

* The speed of contrast-enhanced CT is desirable for evaluating clinically unstable patients. CT is superior for detecting calcification, skull lesions, and hyperacute hemorrhage (bleeding less than 24-hours old) and helps direct differential diagnosis as well as immediate management.

## References

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