Imaging Features of Infratentorial Desmoplastic Infantile and Non-Infantile Tumors

Desmoplastic infantile or non-infantile tumors (DIT/DNIT) were first described in 1987 (1) and are rare supratentorial brain tumors (2). These tumors involve a desmoplastic reaction with a dura mater adherent portion. The cellular areas of the tumor are characterized by neural cells of variable degrees of maturation (3), which differentiate desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma and astrocytoma. They are classified together in the World Health Organization classification as grade I (benign) (4). The reported typical imaging features of DIT/DNIT are supratentorial masses with a large cystic portion, small peripheral solid portion with contrast enhancement, predilection for frontal and parietal lobes, and meningeal enhancement suggesting dural attachment (5, 6). However, since initially reported, more tumor cases with atypical imaging findings have been reported including tumors with less cystic and more solid portions, location outside the supratentorium, and no dural attachment (7-16). To the best of our knowledge, no study has systematically reviewed MR images of infratentorial DIT/DNIT including both posterior fossa and spinal cord. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to review the MR imaging features of infratentorial DIT/DNIT Imaging Features of Infratentorial Desmoplastic Infantile and Non-Infantile Tumors