Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging grading and pathological grading in meningioma.

OBJECT

This study investigated the specific preoperative MRI features of patients with intracranial meningiomas that correlate with pathological grade and provide appropriate preoperative planning.

METHODS

From 2006 to 2012, 120 patients (36 men and 84 women, age range 20-89 years) with newly diagnosed symptomatic intracranial meningiomas undergoing resection were retrospectively analyzed in terms of radiological features of preoperative MRI. There were 90 WHO Grade I and 30 WHO Grade II or III meningiomas. The relationships between MRI features and WHO histopathological grade were analyzed and scored quantitatively.

RESULTS

According to the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, age ≥ 75 years, indistinct tumorbrain interface, positive capsular enhancement, and heterogeneous tumor enhancement were identified factors in the prediction of advanced histopathological grade. The prediction model was quantified as a scoring scale: 2 × (age) + 5 × (tumor-brain interface) + 3 × (capsular enhancement) + 2 × (tumor enhancement). The calculated score correlated positively with the probability of high-grade meningioma.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoring approach may be useful for clinicians in determining therapeutic strategy and in surgical planning for patients with intracranial meningiomas.