MR Imaging of Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas: Pretherapeutic Differentiation of BRAF V600E Mutation, BRAF Fusion, and Wild-Type Tumors in Patients without Neurofibromatosis-1.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The prognosis and treatment of pediatric low-grade gliomas is influenced by their molecular subtype. MR imaging remains the mainstay for initial work-up and surgical planning. We aimed to determine the relationship between imaging patterns and molecular subtypes of pediatric low-grade gliomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective bi-institutional study for patients diagnosed from 2004 to 2021 with pathologically confirmed pediatric low-grade gliomas molecularly defined as BRAF fusion, BRAF V600E mutant, or wild-type (which is neither BRAF V600E mutant nor BRAF fusion). Two neuroradiologists, blinded, independently reviewed imaging parameters from diagnostic MRIs, and discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Bivariate analysis was used followed by pair-wise comparison of the Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner method to compare the 3 molecular subtypes. Interreader agreement was assessed using κ. RESULTS: We included 70 patients: 30 BRAF fusion, 19 BRAF V600E mutant, and 21 wild-type. There was substantial agreement between the readers for overall imaging variables (κ = 0.75). BRAF fusion tumors compared with BRAF V600E and wild-type tumors were larger (P = .0022), and had a greater mass effect (P = .0053), increased frequency of hydrocephalus (P = .0002), and diffuse enhancement (p <.0001). BRAF V600E mutant tumors were more often hemispheric (P < .0001), appeared more infiltrative (P = .0002), and, though infrequent, were the only group demonstrating diffusion restriction (qualitatively; P = .0042) with a lower ADC ratio (quantitatively) (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: BRAF fusion and BRAF V600E mutant pediatric low-grade gliomas have unique imaging features that can be used to differentiate them from each other and wild-type pediatric low-grade glioma using a standard radiology review with high interreader agreement. In the era of targeted therapy, these features can be useful for therapeutic planning before surgery.

MRI, Magnetoencephalography, and Surgical Outcome of Oligodendrocytosis versus Focal Cortical Dysplasia Type I.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Abnormalities of oligodendrocytes have been reported in surgical specimens of patients with medically intractable epilepsy. The aim of this study was to compare the MR imaging, magnetoencephalography, and surgical outcome of children with oligodendrocytosis relative to focal cortical dysplasia I. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oligodendrocytosis included oligodendroglial hyperplasia, oligodendrogliosis, and oligodendroglial-like cells in the white matter, gray matter, or both from children with medically intractable epilepsy. Focal cortical dysplasia I included radial and tangential cortical dyslamination. The MR imaging, magnetoencephalography, type of operation, location, and seizure outcome of oligodendrocytosis, focal cortical dysplasia I, and oligodendrocytosis + focal cortical dysplasia I were compared. RESULTS: Eighteen subjects (39.1%) had oligodendrocytosis, 21 (45.7%) had focal cortical dysplasia I, and 7 (15.2%) had oligodendrocytosis + focal cortical dysplasia I. There were no significant differences in the type of seizures, focal or nonfocal epileptiform discharges, magnetoencephalography, and MR imaging features, including high T1 signal in the cortex, high T2/FLAIR signal in the cortex or subcortical white matter, increased cortical thickness, blurring of the gray-white junction, or abnormal sulcation and gyration among those with oligodendrocytosis, focal cortical dysplasia I, or oligodendrocytosis + focal cortical dysplasia I (P > .01). There were no significant differences in the extent of resection (unilobar versus multilobar versus hemispherectomy), location of the operation (temporal versus extratemporal versus both), or seizure-free outcome of oligodendrocytosis, focal cortical dysplasia I, and oligodendrocytosis + focal cortical dysplasia I (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Oligodendrocytosis shared MR imaging and magnetoencephalography features with focal cortical dysplasia I, and multilobar resection was frequently required to achieve seizure freedom. In 15% of cases, concurrent oligodendrocytosis and focal cortical dysplasia I were identified. The findings suggest that oligodendrocytosis may represent a mild spectrum of malformations of cortical development.

MRI Characteristics of Primary Tumors and Metastatic Lesions in Molecular Subgroups of Pediatric Medulloblastoma: A Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Molecular grouping of medulloblastoma correlates with prognosis and supports the therapeutic strategy. We provide our experience with the imaging features of primary and metastatic disease in relation to the molecular groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred nineteen consecutive patients (mean age, 7.3 ± 3.8 years at diagnosis; male, 79 [66.4%]) with a confirmed diagnosis of medulloblastoma and interpretable pretreatment MRIs were retrieved from our data base from January 2000 to December 2016. Each patient was assigned to wingless, sonic hedgehog, group 3, or group 4 molecular groups. Then, we determined the imaging features of both primary and metastatic/recurrent disease predictive of molecular groups. RESULTS: In addition to recently reported predictors based on primary tumor, including cerebellar peripheral location for sonic hedgehog (adjusted odds ratio = 9, P < .0001), minimal enhancement of primary group 4 tumor (adjusted odds ratio = 5.2, P < .0001), and cerebellopontine angle location for wingless (adjusted odds ratio = 1.4, P = .03), ependymal metastasis with diffusion restriction and minimal postcontrast enhancement ("mismatching pattern") (adjusted odds ratio = 2.8, P = .001) for group 4 and spinal metastasis for group 3 (adjusted odds ratio = 1.9, P = .01) also emerged as independent predictors of medulloblastoma molecular groups. Specifically, the presence of a metastasis in the third ventricular infundibular recess showing a mismatching pattern was significantly associated with group 4 (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to imaging features of primary tumors, some imaging patterns of metastatic dissemination in medulloblastoma seem characteristic, perhaps even specific to certain groups. This finding could further help in differentiating molecular groups, specifically groups 3 and 4, when the characteristics of the primary tumor overlap.