Histologically confirmed changes on CT of reoperated low-grade astrocytomas

During a 15-year period 37 patients with primary low-grade astrocytoma have been operated upon twice in our institute. CT and histological data at the time of the first and second operations were compared. The majority of primary astrocytomas showed as a low-density area without contrast enhancement...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroradiology 1997-11, Vol.39 (11), p.804-810
Main Authors: AFRA, D, OSZTIE, E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Astrocytoma - diagnostic imaging
Astrocytoma - pathology
Astrocytoma - surgery
Biological and medical sciences
Brain - diagnostic imaging
Brain - pathology
Brain Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging
Brain Neoplasms - pathology
Brain Neoplasms - surgery
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Glioblastoma - diagnostic imaging
Glioblastoma - pathology
Glioblastoma - surgery
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnostic imaging
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - surgery
Neurology
Reoperation
Time Factors
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses
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Summary:During a 15-year period 37 patients with primary low-grade astrocytoma have been operated upon twice in our institute. CT and histological data at the time of the first and second operations were compared. The majority of primary astrocytomas showed as a low-density area without contrast enhancement; minimal, mainly marginal enhancement was present in six cases. At reoperation 10 tumours were histologically unchanged; the corresponding CT studies displayed a nonenhancing lesion, although insignificant contrast uptake could be seen in three cases. There were 18 tumours which had transformed into anaplastic astrocytoma: CT before repeat surgery showed more or less marked enhancement. In all nine cases which progressed into glioblastoma multiforme strong contrast enhancement was seen on CT at the time of recurrence. Although the grade of contrast uptake varied, the appearance of or increase in enhancement was a sign of some degree of anaplastic change, particularly convincing in cases of dedifferentiated glioblastoma multiforme.
ISSN:0028-3940
1432-1920
DOI:10.1007/s002340050509