Location Text

Map: Home

» rad

» location

» location text.html

Turbo Search:

Saturday May 17, 2008 ::

Use Side Menu ::

Use Top Menu Brain Lesion Locator™:
Differential Diagnosis by Location

Developed by: James G. Smirniotopoulos, M.D.

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Bethesda,MD USUHS Radiology Homepage

[ Please Read the Disclaimer ]

- Cerebello-Pontine Angle (CPA) Cistern (extra-axial)

Vestibular Schwannoma (what this is) -

Meningioma

Epidermoid (doesn't enhance, undulating margin)

Glomus Tumor, Mets, Endolymphatic Sac Tumor

Extension from 4th or Primary CPP and Ependymoma

- Cerebello-Pontine Angle (CPA) Cistern (extra-axial)

Vestibular Schwannoma

Meningioma (what this is) -

Epidermoid (doesn't enhance, undulating margin) -

Glomus Tumor, Mets, Endolymphatic Sac Tumor

CPP and Ependymoma Extenting from 4th and/or Primary in CPA

- 4th Ventricular / Vermian Mass

PNET (medulloblastoma) -

usually HYPERDENSE on NCT

Ependymoma -

usually HETEROGENEOUS w/Ca++ and small "cysts"

Choroid Plexus Papilloma (adults)

- Hemispheric Cerebellar Mass / Cyst with Nodule

Pilocytic Astrocytoma (5- 15 yrs) -

Hemangioblastoma (35-45 yrs) -

Other Hemispheric Masses:

Mets, Infarction, Abscess

- Sella and Parasellar / Suprasellar

Pituitary Adenoma (adults) -

Craniopharyngioma

Hypothalamic Glioma (children)

Chordoma, Meningioma, Mets

Langerhans Histiocytosis, Germinioma, Lymphoma, Sarcoid

Aneurysms! -

- 3rd Ventricle

Colloid Cyst -

CPP, Ependymoma

Vertical Extension of Suprasellar Mass

Anterior Extension of Pineal Mass

Cysticercosis

- Thalamus & Basal Ganglia

Bilateral Symmetric (toxic/metabolic): -

Putamen - Methanol
Globus Pallidus - CO Poisoning
Genetic Disorders

Bilateral Asymmetric (hematogenous):

Infection (Toxoplasmosis, etc.)
Metastasis

Unilateral (acquired/neoplastic):

Thalamus Glioma (astrocytoma)
Hypertensive Hematoma (Dx by exclusion) -

- Lateral Ventricle

F. Monro

Subependymal Giant Cell Astro -
Subependymoma

Body

Subependymoma, etc.

Trigone

Child - CPP (Choroid Plexus Papilloma) -
Adult - Meningioma

- Intraventricular Neoplasms

Ependymoma (and subependymoma) -
Choroid plexus papilloma -
Subependymal giant cell astro. -
Meningioma
Colloid cyst (3rd) -
Dermoid or Epidermoid Inclusion Cyst
Central neurocytoma
Medulloblastoma (4th) -
Mets, lymphoma, Germ Cell

- Pineal Region (Quadrigeminal Cistern)

Germ Cell Tumor -

("Pinealoma" is really a seminoma = germinoma = dysgerminoma = "atypical teratoma")

Pineal Parenchyma

(mature Pineocytoma, immature Pineoblastoma)

Pineal Cyst -

Extension of Glioma (Astrocytoma)

from corpus callosum, tectum, or thalamus

Meningioma

Lipoma -

Vein of Galen Malformation -

Epidermoid Inclusion Cyst -

- Corpus Callosum

Enlarged, Expanded, or Enhancing -

(Astrocytoma, Lymphoma)

Destructive, Geographic

(White Matter Disease - Leukoencephalopathy)

Patchy Periventricular

Vascular (HT change, "Leukoariosis")
Multifocal Rings - Toxo Abscess in AIDS

Uniformly Periventricular

Hydrocephalic (hydrostatic) edema

Corpus Callosum-Splenium

Marchiafava-Bignami Disease
High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
ADL (Adrenoleukodystrophy)

Occipital White Matter

ADL (Adrenoleukodystrophy)
PRES (Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome) -

Hypertensive Encephalopathy
Ecclampsia/Preeclampsia
Cyclosporin Tx

- Generalized White Matter

Periventricular

Multiple Sclerosis -
Hypertensive / Ishemic Changes
"Normal Changes" of Ageing
Hydrostatic/Hydrocephalic Edema

Subcortical

PML (Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy) -

- Cortex (Gray Matter)

Gray Matter Ribbon

Ischemia (w/ or w/o Infarction)
Hyperemia with Migraine
Hyperemia after Seizure
Hypertensive Encephalopathy
Ecclampsia, Cyclosporin
Encephalitis (usually HSV) -
Meningitis, Meningoencephalitis
Sturge-Weber Disease (Ca++)
Meningioangiomatosis (Ca++)

Gray & White Wedge

Cerebral Infarction -

follow vascular territory

Cortical Dysplasia
Cortical Tuber (Tuberous Sclerosis) -
DNET -

- Epidural Space

Epidural Hematoma -

Epidural Empyema

Dura / Epidural Mets

Prostate, Breast, Lymphoma

Granulomatous Disease (e.g. Sarcoid, Tuberculosis, Fungal)

- Subdural Space

Subdural Hematoma -

Subdural Empyema

Dural/Subdural Mets

Prostate, Breast, Lymphoma

Granulomatous Disease (e.g. Sarcoid, TB, Fungal)

This page created and maintained by:

James G. Smirniotopoulos, M.D.
Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and Biomedical Informatics
Chairman, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
Voice: 301-295-3145
FAX: 301-295-3893

Comments or Questions - Send EMail about this site.

Use this for Comments and Suggestions