Pediatric Brain Tumors

Evaluation of pediatric brain 'tumors today is primarily by MRI with CT playing a diminishing role and arteriography an even more limited one. If the patient can cooperate and not move during the study then MRI is the procedure of choice, but if they are not cooperative then CT is better. MRI does not suffer from artifacts as seen in the posterior fossa with even the best CT scanners. MRI today is capable of producing 3 to 5 mm thick sections with a spatial resolution comparable to that of CT, but with a contrast sensitivity that is many times better than that of CT. Direct multiplanar imaging by MRI produces nondegraded coronal and sagittal images that graphically show both the location and extent of supratentorial and infratentorial pediatric brain tumors.