Pediatric Glioblastoma

  • Etiology: Malignant tumor
  • Imaging CT:
    — Irregular thick margins
    — Hypodense center representing necrosis
    — Mass effect
    — Surrounding vasogenic edema
    — Occasional hemorrhage
    — Calcification uncommon
    — Irregular heterogenous enhancement of margins
  • Imaging MRI:
    — T1WI: Hypointense to isointense mass in white matter with central heterogenous signal due to necrosis or intratumoral hemorrhage
    — T1WI post contrast: Variable enhancement that is often peripheral with nodular components
    — T2WI: Hyperintense and surrounded by vasogenic edema
  • DDX:
  • Complications:
  • Treatment: Surgical
  • Clinical: Present with focal neurological defect or increased intracranial pressure or seizure

Radiology Cases of Glioblastoma

CT and MRI of glioblastoma
Axial CT without contrast of the brain (above left) shows a hypodense, ill-defined, infiltrative mass centered in the left basal ganglia that contains coarse calcifications. Axial T2 (above right), T1 without contrast (below left) and T1 MRI with contrast (below right) of the brain show the mass to be heterogenous in nature and to have some heterogenous areas of enhancement.