[Tumors of the central nervous system in children and adolescents].

CLINICAL/METHODOLOGICAL ISSUE: Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in childhood and the most frequent cancer after leukemia. The incidence is continuously increasing. The WHO classification of brain tumors, valid since 2016, is now based on the combination of histological and molecular genetic diagnostics.

STANDARD RADIOLOGICAL METHODS

Diagnostics are mainly performed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); only in emergencies with computed tomography (CT).

METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS

Diffusion and susceptibility weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging and spectroscopy are used.

PERFORMANCE

Improved diagnosis regarding dignity, size determination, adjacency assessment, and morphological description of tumor composition.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Modern MRI with functional techniques is now the gold standard for differential diagnosis and staging of central nervous system (CNS) tumors in pediatrics.