Gangliogliomas: Characteristic imaging findings and role in the temporal lobe epilepsy

Ganglioglioma is an uncommon neoplasm of the central nervous system, most frequently seen in the temporal lobe, and usually associated with medically refractory epilepsy in children and young adults. Few reports have considered ganglioglioma-associated epileptogenicity arising in the temporal lobe. The purpose of our study was to define the imaging features of ganglioglioma in the temporal lobe and their relation to the seizure foci revealed by electrocorticograms.

We reviewed 24 patients with pathologically confirmed ganglioglioma in the temporal lobe.

Computed tomography (CT) images showed gangliogliomas to be isodense (91.7%), and on T1-weighted images (T1-WI) most gangliogliomas (79.2%) were isointense to the gray matter. A cystic lesion was seen in 14 of 24 of the gangliogliomas (58.3%). Mass effects were not seen in any of the ten tumors without cystic components. One patient showed tumor recurrence. Dual pathology was seen in two cases (8.3%). In 23 cases, epileptogenicity was confirmed in the tumors by intraoperative electrocorticogram. The remaining case had no epileptogenicity.

A tumor presenting isointensity to gray matter on T1-WI without mass effects in the medial temporal lobe in a young patient with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) might be the characteristic imaging of temporal lobe ganglioglioma. However, such tumors are not always associated with epileptogenicity, even if a ganglioglioma is found in a patient with TLE. The seizure foci may be contralateral to the ganglioglioma. Therefore, we need to investigate the hippocampus, white matter abnormalities of the ipsilateral and contralateral anterior temporal lobe, and other focal lesions closely.