Skip to main content
Advertisement

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Publication Preview--Ahead of Print
    • Past Issue Archive
    • Case of the Week Archive
    • Classic Case Archive
    • Case of the Month Archive
    • COVID-19 Content and Resources
  • For Authors
  • About Us
    • About AJNR
    • Editors
    • American Society of Neuroradiology
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe on iTunes
    • Subscribe on Stitcher
  • More
    • Subscribers
    • Permissions
    • Advertisers
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
  • Other Publications
    • ajnr

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Journal of Neuroradiology
American Journal of Neuroradiology

American Journal of Neuroradiology

  • Subscribe
  • Alerts
  • Log in

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Publication Preview--Ahead of Print
    • Past Issue Archive
    • Case of the Week Archive
    • Classic Case Archive
    • Case of the Month Archive
    • COVID-19 Content and Resources
  • For Authors
  • About Us
    • About AJNR
    • Editors
    • American Society of Neuroradiology
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe on iTunes
    • Subscribe on Stitcher
  • More
    • Subscribers
    • Permissions
    • Advertisers
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
  • Follow AJNR on Twitter
  • Visit AJNR on Facebook
  • Follow AJNR on Instagram
  • Join AJNR on LinkedIn
  • RSS Feeds
Research ArticleBRAIN

Distinguishing between Germinomas and Pineal Cell Tumors on MR Imaging

N. Dumrongpisutikul, J. Intrapiromkul and D.M. Yousem
American Journal of Neuroradiology December 2011, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A2806
N. Dumrongpisutikul
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
J. Intrapiromkul
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
D.M. Yousem
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tumors of pineal cell origin have different prognosis and treatment than those of germ cell origin. The recent literature suggests that these tumors often look alike. Our study aimed to differentiate between pineal cell tumor and germinoma based on ADC values, the homogeneity of the mass, and MR imaging characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 20 patients who had pretreatment MR imaging scans with histologic verification of tumors of pineal cell origin and germinomas. The tumors were measured for the ADC values and for homogeneity by the coefficient of variation of ADC values, and T1WI and T2WI signal intensity values.

RESULTS: The 20 subjects (8 females and 12 males) ranged in age from 1.5–64.9 years, with a mean age of 23.9 years (SD 17.7 years). The mean age of those with germinomas was 13.7 years (SD 3.8 years), less than the mean of 29.4 years for those with pineal cell tumors (SD 19.9 years; P = .016). These 2 groups showed no significant difference in coefficients of variation on T1WI, T2WI, and ADC images. However, germinomas showed statistically significant higher ADC values (mean 1590.69 ± 532.96 × 10−6mm2/s) than pineal cell tumors (mean 883.58 ± 317.48 × 10−6mm2/s; P = .02). An accuracy of 89.5%, sensitivity of 83.3%, specificity of 92.3%, PPV of 83.3%, and NPV of 92.3% were yielded for an ADC threshold of 1250.00 × 10−6mm2/s.

CONCLUSIONS: Germinomas showed higher ADC values than the pineal cell tumors (P = .02), and the patients were younger. Otherwise, there were no definitive imaging characteristics that distinguished pineal cell tumors from germinomas.

Abbreviations

NPV
negative predictive value
PNET
primitive neuroectodermal tumor
PPTID
pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation
PPV
positive predictive value
PTPR
papillary tumor of the pineal region
TR/TE
repetition time/time-to-echo
WHO
World Health Organization
  • © 2012 American Society of Neuroradiology
Next
Back to top
Advertisement
Download PDF
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Journal of Neuroradiology.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Distinguishing between Germinomas and Pineal Cell Tumors on MR Imaging
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Journal of Neuroradiology
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Journal of Neuroradiology web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Distinguishing between Germinomas and Pineal Cell Tumors on MR Imaging
N. Dumrongpisutikul, J. Intrapiromkul, D.M. Yousem
American Journal of Neuroradiology Dec 2011, DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A2806

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Distinguishing between Germinomas and Pineal Cell Tumors on MR Imaging
N. Dumrongpisutikul, J. Intrapiromkul, D.M. Yousem
American Journal of Neuroradiology Dec 2011, DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A2806
Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Purchase

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • MRI Features of Histologically Diagnosed Supratentorial Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors and Pineoblastomas in Correlation with Molecular Diagnoses and Outcomes: A Report from the Children's Oncology Group ACNS0332 Trial
  • Crossref
  • Google Scholar

This article has not yet been cited by articles in journals that are participating in Crossref Cited-by Linking.

More in this TOC Section

  • Predictors of Reperfusion in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke
  • Enhanced Axonal Metabolism during Early Natalizumab Treatment in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
  • Progression of Microstructural Damage in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2: A Longitudinal DTI Study
Show more BRAIN

Similar Articles

Advertisement

News and Updates

  • Lucien Levy Best Research Article Award
  • Thanks to our 2022 Distinguished Reviewers
  • Press Releases

Resources

  • Evidence-Based Medicine Level Guide
  • How to Participate in a Tweet Chat
  • AJNR Podcast Archive
  • Ideas for Publicizing Your Research
  • Librarian Resources
  • Terms and Conditions

Opportunities

  • Share Your Art in Perspectives
  • Get Peer Review Credit from Publons
  • Moderate a Tweet Chat

American Society of Neuroradiology

  • Neurographics
  • ASNR Annual Meeting
  • Fellowship Portal
  • Position Statements

© 2023 by the American Society of Neuroradiology | Print ISSN: 0195-6108 Online ISSN: 1936-959X

Powered by HighWire