Hamartomas of the tuber cinereum: CT, MR, and pathologic findings

The neuroimaging studies, clinical evaluations, and surgical and pathologic findings in five children with biopsy-proved hamartomas of the tuber cinereum were reviewed. Surgical and/or MR findings showed that patients with precocious puberty had pedunculated lesions while those with seizures had tumors that were sessile with respect to the hypothalamus. The radiologic studies included six MR examinations in four patients and CT studies in all five patients. Three children presented with precocious puberty and two with seizures, one of which was a gelastic (spasmodic or hysteric laughter) type of epilepsy. MR studies were obtained both before and after surgery in two patients, only preoperatively in a third patient, and only postoperatively in the fourth child. MR was superior to CT in displaying the exact size and anatomic location of the hamartomas in all cases. The mass was isointense with gray matter on sagittal and coronal T1-weighted images, which best displayed the relationship of the hamartoma to the third ventricle, infundibulum, and mammillary bodies. Intermediate- or T2-weighted images showed signal characteristics of the hamartoma to be isointense (one case) or hyperintense (two cases) relative to gray matter. The difference in T2 signal intensity did not correlate with any obvious differences in histopathology. CT showed attenuation isodense with gray matter, and no calcium. There was no enhancement on CT. There was no enhancement on MR in the one case in which contrast medium was administered. Preservation of the posterior pituitary bright spot was noted on all pre- and postoperative T1-weighted MR scans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)