IMPORTANT: We currently have a number of bugs related to image cropping and are actively trying to resolve them. In the meantime, we have disabled cropping. Apologies for any inconvenience. Stay informed: radiopaedia.org/chat

Posterior fossa ependymoma

Case contributed by Antonio Rodrigues de Aguiar Neto
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Two weeks of headache, initially occipital with orbital frontal irradiation, evolving to holocranial.

Patient Data

Age: 20 years
Gender: Male
mri

Pre and post-contrast MRI shows a heterogeneously hyperintense signal lesion on the T2WI in the midline fourth ventricle, with intratumoral hemorrhage and internal cystic components. After the administration of contrast, the lesion shows irregular enhancement with non-enhancing cystic components — the mass results in obstructive supratentorial hydrocephalus, with mild dilatation of the third and lateral ventricles.

Case Discussion

Ependymomas are glial tumors that originate from differentiated cells lining the surface of the cerebral ventricles and the central canal of the spinal cord 1,2. Ependymomas constitute tumors with different molecular types, which classification in the posterior fossa are Group A and B 3. This case demonstrates imaging features of a 4th ventricular tumor, pathology-proven to be a WHO grade 3 posterior fossa ependymoma.

Case courtesy

  • Sterfferson Morais, MD - PGY-3, Radiology Resident, Department of Radiology
  • Antonio Rodrigues de Aguiar Neto, MD - Radiologist, Department of Radiology
  •  Hospital da Restauração – Recife, PE – Brazil

Note: as molecular profiling is unavailable in this case, it would have the diagnosis of posterior fossa ependymoma not otherwise specified (NOS). 

How to use cases

You can use Radiopaedia cases in a variety of ways to help you learn and teach.

Creating your own cases is easy.

Updating… Please wait.

 Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.

 Thank you for updating your details.