Central nervous system lymphoma: histologic types and CT appearance

Radiology. 1988 Apr;167(1):211-5. doi: 10.1148/radiology.167.1.3279454.

Abstract

The distribution of histologic types of lymphoma according to the proposed working formulation was determined for 55 patients with primary central nervous system (CNS) non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Fifty-five percent of these patients had diffuse large-cell histologic features. When the relationship between histologic type and computed tomographic (CT) appearance was analyzed, the following trends were noted: A greater percentage of mixed cell tumors were multiple when compared with other types; noncleaved small-cell tumors were more commonly located in the central gray matter or corpus callosum than were other types; all immunoblastic tumors were enhanced homogeneously, unlike other types; and smaller tumors appeared to be associated with an increased histologic grade. Eleven patients had CT confirmation of a CNS recurrence; in eight patients, the recurrent tumor was in a different location than the original lesion. Eleven patients had associated intraocular lymphoma, and four were immunosuppressed.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Eye Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy / adverse effects
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / diagnostic imaging
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
  • Risk Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*