Central nervous system tumors: Radiologic pathologic correlation and diagnostic approach

Area of Science:

• Neuroradiology
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) tumors is crucial for effective treatment.
• Rural settings often face limitations in advanced diagnostic facilities, necessitating simplified approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop location-wise radiologic diagnostic algorithms for CNS tumors.
• To assess the concordance of these algorithms with histopathological diagnoses.
• To evaluate the utility of these algorithms in resource-limited rural areas.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of radiology (primarily MRI) and histopathology reports.
• Development of diagnostic algorithms based on common tumor locations and basic radiological findings.

Main Results:

• High concordance was observed for various supratentorial and infratentorial tumors, including high-grade astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, metastatic tumors, and meningiomas.
• Lowest concordance was noted in low-grade astrocytomas.
• Location-based algorithms demonstrated utility across different CNS tumor types and locations.

Conclusions:

• A location-based diagnostic strategy is effective for central nervous system (CNS) tumors.
• This approach aids in establishing appropriate differential diagnoses, particularly in settings with basic facilities.