PICTORIAL REVIEW OF MENINGIOMA ON MRI WITH LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Abstract:

The commonest non glial, extra-axial tumor of central nervous system (CNS) is meningioma. Although it is the most common tumor with some typical features that represent it as benign tumor and differentiate it from other brain tumors; but not all meningiomas exhibit these features. Some meningiomas show certain features that represent their atypical/malignant nature while some present at atypical location. The imaging appearances along with different locations have immense importance radiologically in providing a roadmap for management either with surgery alone or combined with radiotherapy and for assessing the expected post-surgical outcome by its location, site of dural attachment, extent of peritumoral edema, brain invasion by loss of tumor-brain interface, displacement of neurovascular bundle, post contrast enhancement pattern and diffusion restriction. MRI is the imaging modality of choice for detecting aforementioned radiological features due to superior soft tissue contrast. So, this pictorial review illustrates the common as well as uncommon locations with typical and atypical/malignant features of meningioma on MRI.