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Choroid plexus changes after temporal lobectomy.
1Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8042, USA.
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|October 20, 2000
Summary
Postoperative temporal lobectomy causes normal changes in the choroid plexus, including enlargement and sagging. Awareness of these findings is crucial to avoid misdiagnosing recurrent tumors on brain MR imaging.
Area of Science:
- Neuroradiology
- Neuroimaging
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Postoperative contrast-enhanced MR imaging is vital for evaluating brain tumors.
- Interpreting these images requires understanding normal postsurgical changes to differentiate from pathology.
- Temporal lobectomy for epilepsy can alter brain structures, including the choroid plexus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify normal postoperative changes in the choroid plexus after temporal lobectomy.
- To distinguish these benign alterations from signs of infection or tumor recurrence.
- To aid in accurate diagnosis on postoperative brain MR imaging.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 159 MR scans from 95 patients.
- Patients had undergone temporal lobectomy for intractable epilepsy.
- Choroid plexus size and enhancement were assessed on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR images.
Main Results:
- Choroid plexus enlargement and sagging into the resection site were observed.
- Increased choroid plexus size occurred in 58% of cases.
- Enhanced choroid plexus enhancement, sometimes nodular, was noted, particularly within the first week post-surgery.
Conclusions:
- Postoperative temporal lobectomy leads to choroid plexus sagging, increased size, and enhanced enhancement.
- These normal findings can mimic neoplastic enhancement patterns.
- Familiarity with these imaging characteristics is essential to prevent diagnostic errors in postoperative patients.