Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor

  • Etiology: rhabdoid cells are hallmark but only comprise fraction of tumor
  • Imaging: heterogeneous (cysts, hemorrhage, calcification), off midline in 50%, cerebellar (50%) > supratentorial
  • Complications: 20% with CSF metastases at presentation
  • Clinical: medulloblastoma look alike in infants < 2 years old (typical medulloblastoma age is 5 years old), consider ATRT when large brain tumor found in child < 3 years old

Radiology Cases of Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor

MRI of atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) of the spine
Sagittal T1 without contrast (left), sagittal T2 (middle) and sagittal T1 with contrast (right) MRI of the lumbar spine shows an extramedullary intradural lesion that is inferior to the conus medullaris and fills the spinal canal from the level of the L1-L3 vertebral bodies. The lesion has heterogenous signal intensity on T2 and heterogenous enhancement with contrast.