Neonatal brain tumors: CT and MR findings

Twelve neonatal brain tumors, presenting within 60 days of birth, constituted 3.3% of pediatric brain tumors. Three-fourths were supratentorial. Two-thirds were benign. Forty-two percent were choroid plexus papilloma. Twenty-five percent were teratoma. Eight percent each were hypothalamic glioma, gliosarcoma, medulloblastoma, and primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Clinical symptoms were nonspecific. Signs of herniation were absent in all 12 patients. Forty-two percent of these patients died 1 day to 8 months after diagnosis. Ultrasound, CT, and magnetic resonance have all proved useful for displaying these lesions suitably for surgery.