Neuroradiologic review in pediatric brain tumor studies

The GPOH (German Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology) is running various multicenter treatment studies for brain tumors in children and adolescents. To achieve a common base for the evaluation of tumors, a possible dissemination and responses to treatment or the natural course of a CNS (central nervous system) tumor, all imaging studies of patients included in these studies are reviewed by the national Reference Center for Neuroradiology. The center also serves as a common database for the collection of imaging examinations of rare brain tumors and as consulting institution mainly for tumorous lesions of the brain and spinal cord. The large numbers of various CNS tumors also enable broad-based scientific evaluations on different aspects of imaging. The aims and patient populations of the different studies are described and the typical morphology and the differential diagnostic aspects of the individual tumors as well as the main principles of oncologic staging procedures in pediatric brain tumors are presented. Common problems occurring during the review evaluation are discussed and a common imaging proposition for the European brain tumor studies is presented. Present and future aims are the improvement in the treatment of children with brain tumors and the implementation of new imaging techniques in the common imaging protocols to facilitate the resolution of problems with conventional imaging like persisting residual tumors or the identification of possibly treatment-related lesions.