Possibilities of magnetic resonance imaging in SWI mode in differential diagnosis of brain gliomas (G3–G4) and primary lymphomas

The study objective is to assess the possibilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in SWI (susceptibility weighted imaging) in the differential diagnosis of glial brain tumors and primary brain lymphomas.
Materials and methods. Fifty-four patients with brain tumors were studied (men – 27 (50 %), women – 27 (50 %)). Average age 57.9 years. Histological examination of the surgical material revealed the glial nature of tumors in 41 patients (26 of them with glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytomas – 15), primary brain lymphomas – in 13 patients. Brain MRI was performed using tomographs with a magnetic field of 3 and 1.5 T. A semi-quantitative assessment of the data obtained in the SWI mode based on the classification of ITSS (intratumoral susceptibility signals), reflecting the severity of interstitial vascular architectonics and microbleeding.
Results. The degree of ITSS was 3 in glioblastomas (G4 ) in 26 (100 %) cases, in the structure of gliomas (G3 ) the ITSS values were 3 in 3 (20 %) cases, in the remaining 12 (80 %) cases – ITSS 2. In the group of primary brain lymphomas, the ITSS 1 was in 4 (30.7 %) cases, ITSS 0 was in 9 (69.3 %) cases.
Conclusion. MRI in SWI mode is a promising technique that allows one to quantify the degree of pathological changes in tumor vascular architectonics and intratumoral hemorrhages and has shown high specificity in the differential diagnosis of malignant gliomas and lymphomas of the brain, accompanied by active accumulation of contrast medium.

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