Intracranial teratoma in childhood: MRI findings

We reviewed the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of intracranial teratoma to detect the characteristic findings. Five patients with intracranial teratoma were evaluated with MRI from January 1988 to December 1990. Four male and one female patients with age ranging from 6 to 14 years were surgicelly confirmed MRI was done with 2.0T superconducting system(Spectro 20000, Goldstar, Seoul) and gadolinium enhancement was done in 4 patients. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, operative, pathologic, and radiologic findings. Intracranial teratomas showed fatty component, calcification and cystic component filled with sebum or serous fluid. Peripheral rim enhancement was seen in three and irregular enhancement in two cases. There were hydrocephalus in all teratoma, but neither surrounding edema nor surrounding tissue invasion was seen. Low signal intensity rim was noted around the solid component of all tumors and they were not enhanced. MRI showed multicomponent of intracranial teratoma including the solid and cystic component, and low singal rim which might be the characteristic findings of the intracranial teratoma.