Neuroimaging of a pilocytic astrocytoma with anaplastic features and diffusion tensor imaging characteristics

We report the magnetic resonance imaging findings of an adult patient with a biopsy-proven pilocytic astrocytoma with anaplastic features. Pilocytic astrocytomas rarely occur in adults, and presentation with anaplastic features such as rapid mitotic activity, hypercellularity, and atypia is particularly uncommon. Accurate neuroimaging diagnosis is essential, but differentiation from more malignant neoplastic lesions may be challenging. Diffusion tensor imaging may potentially provide information on cell proliferation, vascularity, and fiber destruction, which can have implications for treatment and prognosis. In this case, tractography and fractional anisotropy maps demonstrated displacement of adjacent parenchyma and relatively intact fractional anisotropy, which is more suggestive of a pilocytic rather than an anaplastic astrocytoma. However, in the presence of focal anaplasia, long-term monitoring will be necessary, since pilocytic astrocytomas with anaplastic features frequently recur

Comparing magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) with conventional angiography in the detection of distal territory cerebral mycotic and oncotic aneurysms

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