Central skull base lymphoma in children: MR and CT features

Abstract

Background: Central skull base tumours are rare in children.

Objective: To characterize the imaging features of central skull base lymphoma in children to aid its diagnosis.

Materials and methods: The authors reviewed the CT findings (available in three patients) and MR findings (available in four patients) in four patients (three boys, one girl; age 2-12 years) with pathologically proven lymphoma (two with Burkitt lymphoma, two with B-cell lymphoma) involving the central skull base. Tumour location and extent, MRI signal intensities, noncontrast CT attenuation, patterns of enhancement, and changes in adjacent structures were evaluated.

Results: All four tumours involved the sphenoid bone. In three patients, the tumour extended to the ethmoid sinus and both cavernous sinuses. All lesions were isointense solid masses on T2-weighted images and showed avid enhancement, except for one lesion with a focal necrosis. All tumours were associated with adjacent dural thickening. Non-contrast CT showed highly attenuating masses and permeative bone destruction in the central skull base.

Conclusion: Lymphoma involving the central skull base in children is visualized as an isointense mass on T2-weighted MRI with marked contrast enhancement and adjacent dural thickening, and as a highly attenuating mass on noncontrast CT with permeative or erosive bone destruction patterns.