NEURO

NEURO DDX  Signal on T1WI Fat High Protein Subacute Hemorrhage (Methemoglobin) Gadolinium Other Paramagnetics (Manganese, Calcium, Melanin) Cerebellar-Pontine Angle Mass Vestibular Schwannoma (8) Meningioma Epidermoid Nonacoustic Schwannoma (5, 7) Mets Arachnoid Cyst Aneurysm  Signal on T1WI Water (CSF, Edema) Acute Hemorrhage (Deoxyhemoglobin) Chronic Hemorrhage (Hemosiderin) Diamagnetic Effects (Calcification, Air) Fast Blood Flow Very Viscous Protein Sellar/ Parasellar Mass Pituitary Adenoma Rathke Cleft Cyst Craniopharyngioma Aneurysm Meningioma Optic Glioma Hypothalmic Glioma Hypothalmic Hamartoma Sarcoid TB Germ Cell Tumor  Signal on T2WI Water (CSF, Edema) Late Subacute Hemorrhage (Extracellular Methemoglobin)  Signal on T2WI Fat (NON-FSE) High Protein Acute Hemorrhage (Deoxyhemoglobin) Chronic Hemorrhage (Hemosiderin) Early Subacute Hemorrhage (Intracellular Methemoglobin) Other Paramagnetics (Melanin, Calcium) Diamagnetic Effects (Calcification, Air) Fast Blood Flow Pituitary Stalk-Enhancing Lesions Sarcoidosis EG Lymphoma Mets Glioma Germinoma MR Signal of Hemorrhage “ITY BITY BABY DODO” Pineal Region Mass Germ Cell Tumor (Teratoma or Seminoma) Pineoblastoma Pineocytoma Cyst Glioma Lipoma Vein of Galen Malformation Trilateral Retinoblastoma Deoxy Hemoglobin ID (Iso T1, Dark T2) Intracellular Methemoglobin BD (Bright T1, Dark T2) Extrecellular Methemoglobin BB (Bright T1, Bright T2) Hemosiderin DD (Dark T1, Dark T2) Intracerebral Hemorrhage Trauma ( edema) Infarction ( edema) Primary Neoplasm/Mets ( edema) Hypertension (basal ganglia, cerebellum, brainstem) Amyloid Angiopathy (elderly) Aneurysm AVM Vasculitis Dural Sinus Thrombosis Bleeding Diatheses Cavernous Hemangioma Clivus Mass Chordoma Mets Plasmacytoma Chondrosarcoma Posterior Fossa Lesion (Adult) Infarction (Most common cause of Non-Communicating Hydrocephalus. Other causes include Aqueductal Stenosis, Brainstem Glioma) Hemorrhagic Mets RCC Thyroid Choriocarcinoma Melanoma Lung Breast Mets Hemangioblastoma MS Abscess Page 1 of 5 NEURO DDX CNS Tumors that Subarachnoid Seed Medulloblastoma Glioblastoma Multiforme Ependymoblastoma Pineoblastoma Oligodendroglioma CPP Germinoma Extramedullary/ Intradural Spinal Cord Mass Schwannoma/Neurofibroma (CAUDA EQUINA) Meningioma Myxopapillary Ependymoma (CAUDA EQUINA) Drop Mets (Medulloblastoma, Glioma) Mets (Breast, Lung) Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Dural AVM Hematoma Widened Skull Dipole Paget Disease (“cotton wool”) Fibrous Dysplasia Sickle Cell/Thalassemia (“hair-on-end”) Locally with Meningioma Extradural Spinal Mass Herniated Disk Synovial Cyst Lymphoma Veretebral Body (Osteophyte, Hemangioma, Metastases, Other Tumors) Posterior Fossa Mass (Child) Medulloblastoma (Displaced 4th Ventricle Anteriorly, Drop Mets) Pilocytic Astrocytoma Ependymoma (Displaces 4th Ventricle Posteriorly, “Plastic” Tumor) Brainstem Glioma Epidural Abscess Epidural Hematoma Epidural Lipomatosis Posterior Fossa “Cyst” Epidermoid Cyst Arachnoid Cyst Dandy Walker Cyst (and Dandy Walker Variant) Mega Cisterna Magna Causes of Syrinx Tumor (see above) Chiari I Trauma Childhood Brain Tumors Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma (Teenager, Temporal Lobe, Cystic with a Mural Nodule) Cerebral Ischemia by Age PEDS Meningitis Trauma Congenital Heart Dz YOUNG ADULT Dissection Drugs (methamphetamine, heroine) Cardiac Emboli Venous Thrombosis (OCP’s) ELDERLY Amyloid Coagulopathy Atherosclerosis Ganglioglioma (Benign) Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (Aggressive, Intense Enhancement, Dense Cell Packing) Oligodendroglioma (Chunky Calcifications, Frontal Lobes) Ependymoma Lesions Associated with Agenesis of Corpus Callosum (Parallel Lateral Ventricles, “High-Riding” 3rd Ventricle, Colpocephaly) Isolated Dandy-Walker Syndrome Septo-Optic Dysplasia (NO Septum Pellucidum) Holoprosencephaly (NO Septum Pellucidum) Chiari II Schizencephaly (May Not Have Septum Pellucidum) Lipoma Encephaloceles Ring Enhancing Lesion in the Brain Metastases MS (Active Demyelination) Abscess Glioblastoma Infarct Resolving Hematoma Radiation Necrosis AIDS- Lymphoma and Toxoplasmosis Expanded Spinal Cord Ependymoma (SAH, Syrinx) Astrocytoma (Syrinx) Hemangioblastoma (Syrinx) MS Transverse Myelitis Infection AVM Syrinx Cavernous Hemangioma Radiation Hemorrhage Calcified Mass Oligodendroglioma Meningioma Radiation Treated Tumor Cavernous Angioma Calcifiactions Without Mass (Cystercercosis, Mineralizing Angiopathy from Radiaiton, TORCH in Neonate) Page 2 of 5 NEURO DDX Hyperdense/Non-calcified Mass on NCECT Lymphoma Meningioma Medulloblastoma Rathke’s Cleft Cyst Hemorrhage (See causes of Hemorrhage on the First Page) Germinoma Colloid Cyst Iron-Containing Lesion (Old Hemorrhage)  T1WI Basal Ganglia Dystrophic Calcifications Hepatic Failure ( ammonia) TPN (manganese) NF1  T2WI Basal Ganglia Carbon Monoxide (GP-medial) ADEM Ischemia Wilson’s Dz Leigh’s Dz Lesions Crossing the Corpus Callosum Lymphoma Glioblastoma Multiforme MS  T2WI Basal Ganglia Iron Deposition (Hemochromatosis) Hallervorden-Spatz Dz Third Ventricular Mass Colloid Cyst Craniopharyngioma Hypothalmic/Thalamic Glioma Basilar Tip Aneurysm Mets  T2 Signal in the Brainstem Glioma ADEM Central Pontine Myelinolysis (Spares Corticospinal Tracts) Intraventricular Mass Meningioma (Atria of Lateral Ventricle) Choroid Plexus Papilloma (Atria of Lateral Ventricle in Children, 4th Ventricle in Adults) Subependymal Giant Cell Astrocytoma (Arises Foramen of Munroe) Central Neurocytoma (Attached to Septum Pellucidum)  T2 Signal in the Temporal Lobe(s) Herpes Encephalitis Low Grade Tumor Infarction Non-Hemorrhagic Contusion Ependymoma Medulloblastoma Cysticercosis Mets [HEAD AND NECK] Cystic Lesions in the Neck SUBLINGUAL Thyroglossal Duct Cyst (Midline) Cervical Dermoid Cyst (Midline) Ranula (In Sublingual Space from Obstruciton of Salivary Gland Duct) Plunging Ranula (Ruptured Ranula Extends into Submandibular Space) Leptomeningeal Enhancement Meningitis (Viral or Bacterial) Carcinomatosis TB (Basilar Meninges) Cocci (Basilar Meninges) Neurosarcoidosis (Basilar Meninges) Sturge Weber (Associated with Cortical Atrophy and Enlarged Ipsilateral Choroid Plexus) Abscess Necrotic Node or Tumor SUBMANDIBULAR Branchial Cleft Cyst (Below the Angle of the Mandible, Anteromedial to the Sternocleidomastoid, Lateral to Carotid Sheath) White Matter Disease in the Brain DEMYELINATING MS Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis Lyme Dz Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy (eclampsia, cyclosporin) PML AIDS DYSMYELINATING Adrenolekodystrophies (Posterior) Alexender’s (Anterior) Canavan’s ISCHEMIA Microangiopathic Ischemic Dz Vasculitis Radiation TOXIC ETOH TRAUMATIC Sheer Thyroglossal Duct Cyst (Midline) Abscess Necrotic Node or Tumor Cystic Hygroma (type of Lymphangioma, Lateral) Laryngocele Page 3 of 5 NEURO DDX Destructive Masses of Paranasal Sinuses SCC Lymphoma (Present Around Bone without Destroying It) Salivary Tumors (Adenoid Cystic and Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma) Mets Granulomatous Dz Infections (Mucor and Aspirgillis) Inverting Papilloma Anterochoanal Polyp IN CHILD Rhabdomyosarcoma Esthesioneuroblastoma (in superior nasal cavity) Lymphoma IN ADOLESCENT Juvenile Nasal Angiofibroma (In Pterygopalatine Fossa) Petrous Apex Mass Epidermoid Cholesterol Granuloma Chondrosarcoma Mucocele th 5 Nerve Schwannoma Mets Carotid Artery Aneurysm Clivus Mass Chordoma Mets Plasmacytoma Chondrosarcoma Leukokoria (Child) Retinoblastoma (mean 18 months) Persistent Primary Vitreous (no ca++) Coat’s Disease (6-8 years) Toxocara Retinopathy of Prematurity Parotid Space Mass TUMORS Pleomorphic Adenoma (F>M, 70% of All Benign Parotid Tumors) Warthins Tumor (M>F and Bilateral, 2nd Most Common Benign Tumor) Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mucoepidermoid Adenoid Cystic Lymphoma (Usually Secondary) Metastatic Lymphadenopathy INFECTIOUS/ INFLAMMATORY Acute Sialadenitis (Obstruction of Duct with Stone) Abscess Sjogren’s Parotiditis (Triad Includes Dry Eyes and  Lacrimal Glands. Bilateral. Lymphoepithelial Infiltrates on Pathology. Associated with an Autoimmune Disorder) Orbital Mass (Child) Rhabdomyosarcoma Lymphangioma/Hemangioma EG Mets (Neuroblastoma, Leukemia, Ewing’s Sarcoma) Conal Lesions Graves (Tendons Spared) Lymphoma Pseudotumor (Tendons Involved) Myositis Acromegaly Lymphoepithelial Cysts in HIV (Bilateral) Sarcoid Mumps Optic Nerve Lesions Optic Nerve Glioma Optic Nerve Sheath Meningioma Optic Neuritis (MS) Meningeal Carcinomatosis Sarcoid Pharyngeal Mucosal Space Mass SCC Thornwald’s Cyst Tonsilar Abscess Lymphoma Rhabdomyosarcoma Intraconal Lesions Optic Nerve Lesions Hemangioma/ Lymphangioma Lymphoma Mets (Breast>Lung) Pseudotumor Infection Enlarged Superior Ophthalmic Vein from CC Fistula Orbital Varix Parapharyngeal Space Salivary Gland Tumors Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Neurogenic Tumor Glomus Vagale Lympadenopathy Abscess/Cellulitis Jugular Foramen/ Carotid Space Mass Paraganglioma (Glomus Jugularis, Carotid Body Tumor) Neurofibroma Schwannoma Chondrosarcoma Mets Meningioma Extraconal Lesions Lymphangioma Mets (Breast>Lung) Dermoid Paranasal Sinus Dz Page 4 of 5 NEURO DDX Enlarged Lacrimal Gland Lymphoma Sarcoid Pseudotumor Epithelial Tumors (Pleomorphic Adenoma, Adenoid Cystic) Mets Infection Globe Mass Uveal Melanoma Uveal Mets (Breast>Lung) Soft Tissue Mass in Middle Ear Cholesteatoma Cholesterol Granuloma Glomus Tympanicum Tumor Aberrant Internal Carotid Artery High or Dehiscent Jugular Bulb Odontogenic Neoplasm Ameloblastoma Odontogenic Cyst AVM Hemangioma Simple Bone Cyst ABC Fibrous Dysplasia Osteogenic Sarcoma Pediatric Neck BENIGN CONGENITAL Tornwaldt’s Cyst Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Branchial Cleft cyst Cystic Hygroma BENIGN INFLAMMATORY Ranula Retropharyngeal Abscess BENIGN TUMORS Lipoma Juvenile Nasal Angiofibroma Neurofibroma MALIGNANT TUMORS Lymphoma Rhabdomyosarcoma Clival Chordoma Page 5 of 5