Intracranial metastasis of renal cell carcinoma: MR imaging

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the magnetic resonance (MR) findings of intracranial metastatic tumors of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). MR images of seven patients with intracranial metastases of RCCs were retrospectively reviewed. Each of the seven patients had a single lesion, including five supratentorial intraparenchymal lesions, one 4th ventricular lesion, and one pituitary lesion. Intra- and/or peritumoral flow voids were observed in five of the seven lesions. The signal intensities of the tumors were not specific. All lesions showed gadolinium enhancement, including solid (3), nearly solid (2), and ring enhancement (2). We concluded that intra- and/or peritumoral flow void is a relatively characteristic MR finding of intracranial metastases of RCCs.