Imaging features of medulloblastoma: Conventional imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, perfusion-weighted imaging, and spectroscopy: From general features to subtypes and characteristics

Abstract

Medulloblastoma is a frequent high-grade neoplasm among pediatric brain tumours. Its classical imaging features are a midline tumour growing into the fourth ventricle, hyperdense on CT-scan, displaying a hypersignal when using diffusion-weighted imaging, with a variable contrast enhancement. Nevertheless, atypical imaging features have been widely reported, varying according to the age of the patient, and histopathological subtype. In this study, we review the classical and atypical imaging features of medulloblastomas, with emphasis on advanced MRI techniques, histopathological and molecular subtypes and characteristics, and follow-up modalities.

Keywords: Brain tumour; Child; Diffusion-weighted imaging; Follow-up; Imaging; MRI; Medulloblastoma; Perfusion-weighted imaging; Proton spectroscopy; Subtypes.