Abstract

Objective

The aim of the study was to analyze the incidence of newly diagnosed brain tumors in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we analyzed diffusion MRI examinations retrospectively with the preliminary diagnosis of acute stroke in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Balıkesir in June 2023 and July 2023. We identified patients with brain tumors on diffusion MRI images and performed basic statistical analysis.

Results

Among 1544 patients, 121 patients were diagnosed with acute intracranial infarction (54 females and 67 males, median age: 71), and intracranial tumors were identified in 10 patients (5 females and 5 males, median age: 59.4). Further imaging methods were used to characterize the tumors. Intracranial tumors of 3 patients were diagnosed as metastasis, and the masses of 2 patients were pathologically diagnosed as glioblastoma multiforme. The masses of 3 patients were diagnosed with meningioma after radiological examinations. A cystic mass was observed at the level of the fourth ventricle in 1 patient, and a porencephalic cyst was diagnosed in the left frontal cortex in 1 patient.

Conclusion

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is the first-line radiological imaging method with computed tomography for the evaluation of stroke patients in emergency departments. Therefore, we think that it is crucial to report other radiological findings besides acute stroke on DWI images and to guide the physician about advanced radiological methods for characterization of lesions.

Cite this article as

Tobcu E, Karavaş E, Çelik Aydın Ö, Topçu B. Ratio of incidentally detected brain tumors in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scans performed in the emergency department on the suspicion of acute stroke. Current Research in MRI, 2023;2(3):59-62.