Assessment of the normal pediatric pineal gland - MR findings of a single centre; A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the size and morphology of the normal pineal gland in the paediatric age group using magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data of patients aged <18 years who had magnetic resonance imaging done between 2007 and 2017. Pineal size was estimated measuring its largest anteroposterior and supero-inferior diameters on sagittal T2-weighted sequences on any slice with maximal diameter. The width of pineal gland was measured on axial or coronal T2 sequences. The volume, morphology and enhancement patterns of the gland were also assessed. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 200 patients, 116(58%) were males and 84(42%) were females. The overall mean age was 7.8±5.5 years. The mean anteroposterior dimension was 4.85±1.46mm, height 3.31±0.95mm, width 4.16±1.19, and volume 39.54±38.12 mm3. Mean size of cyst was 2.77±1.4mm (range: 1.2-7.5mm). No significant differences in the pattern of enhancement were found in different age groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive knowledge of the size of the typical pineal organ is useful for radiologists in the identification of pineal gland anomalies and the exclusion of neoplastic lesions.

MR perfusion imaging, techniques and role in differentiating radiation necrosis and tumor recurrence.

High grade brain tumours are treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy and despite such aggressive treatment, can recur in a short span of time. MRI scan has been the conventional diagnostic modality to diagnose recurrence, although at times it becomes difficult for the neuroradiologists to differentiate between tumour recurrence and radiation necrosis. Herein lies the emergent need to explore the efficacy of functional imaging to assist in this diagnostic challenge. Recent studies have sought to do so with promising implications, which we have attempted to summarize in this review.

Skull base metastasis as initial presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Intracranial metastatic deposits due to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are rare. Only a few cases are reported in the literature. These may be more likely to come to clinical attention than extrahepatic metastases in other sites since they often produce symptoms that necessitate neurosurgical intervention. Case Description: We report a case of a 53-year-old male with biopsy-proven intracranial skull base metastasis from HCC as an unusual initial presentation of the disease and review the relevant literature on this entity. Conclusion: Intracranial metastasis of HCC should be included in the differential diagnosis of rapidly growing metastatic lesions in unusual locations, particularly in chronic liver disease and hepatitis B surface antigen-positive or hepatitis C patients.