Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Radiology > Neuroradiology Differentials > Flashcards

Neuroradiology Differentials Flashcards

Comprehensive Differentials for Boards (79 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Lesions crossing the corpus callosum

A
  • Glioblastoma multiforme
  • Lymphoma
  • Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Mimic: parafalcine meningioma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Ring-enhancing intracranial lesions

A
  • MAGICAL DR mnemonic:
  • Metastasis
  • Abscess: AIDS, IVDA, immunocompromised state
  • Glioblastoma multiforme, high grade glioma
  • Infarct
  • Contusion/hematoma
  • AIDS (toxoplasmosis)
  • Lymphoma
  • Demyelinating disease
  • Radiation necrosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Posterior fossa mass, child

A
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma
  • Ependymoma
  • Pontine glioma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Posterior fossa mass, adult

A
  • Metastasis (most common)
  • Cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma
  • Hemangioblastoma (von Hippel-Lindau disease
  • Medulloblastoma (cerebellar hemisphere)
  • Hemorrhage (hypertensive)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Extra-axial mass

A
  • Meningioma
  • Arachnoid cyst
  • Epidermoid cyst
  • Dural metastasis
  • Bone lesion with intracranial extension
  • Empyema, subdural or epidural
  • Sarcoidosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Cerebellopontine angle mass

A 
• Vestibular schwannoma (bilateral,neurofibromatosis-2)
• Meningioma
• Arachnoid cyst
• Epidermoid cyst (most common)
• Other: ependymoma, schwannoma, 
glomus jugulare
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Sellar or suprasellar mass

A
  • GATCH MODE mnemonic:
  • Germ cell tumor, Granuloma
  • Adenoma, Aneurysm, Arachnoid cyst
  • Tuber cinerum hamartoma
  • Craniopharyngioma, Rathke’s cleft cyst
  • Hypothalamic glioma
  • Meningioma, Metastasis
  • Optic chiasm glioma
  • Dermoid
  • Epidermoid
  • Lymphoma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Suprasellar mass, adult (common)

A
  • Pituitary adenoma (prolactinoma > GH)
  • Craniopharyngioma (30-40 y/o)
  • Meningioma
  • Chiasmatic/hypothalamic glioma
  • Aneurysm
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Suprasellar mass, child (common)

A
  • Craniopharyngioma (4-5 y/o)
  • Chiasmatic/hypothalamic glioma (NF-1)
  • Germinoma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Suprasellar mass, homogeneously enhancing

A
  • Macroadenoma
  • Meningioma (planum sphenoidale, clivus)
  • Aneurysm
  • Germinoma, teratoma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Suprasellar mass, partially calcified

A
  • Meningioma
  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Aneurysm
  • Granuloma
  • Dermoid
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Suprasellar mass, high attenuation

A
  • Meningioma
  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Adenoma (hemorrhagic)
  • Aneurysm
  • Glioma
  • Germinoma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Pituitary hemorrhage

A 
adenoma
bromocriptine therapy
pregnancy
XRT
anticoagulation
LP
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Suprasellar mass, Hyperintense T1/T2

A
  • Adenoma (hemorrhagic)
  • Craniopharyngioma (cystic, proteinaceous material)
  • Rathke’s cleft cyst
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Infundibular mass, child

A
  • Germinoma
  • Eosinophilic granuloma
  • Meningitis
  • Lymphoma
  • Glioma
  • Racemose cysticercosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Infundibular mass, adult

A
  • Metastasis
  • Sarcoid
  • Germinoma
  • Lymphoma
  • Glioma
  • Choristoma (granular cell tumor)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Cavernous sinus mass

A
  • Meningioma
  • Schwannoma, neurofibroma
  • Aneurysm of ICA
  • Cavernous sinus thrombosis
  • Carotid-cavernous fistula
  • Metastasis
  • Lymphoma, sarcoid
  • Macroadenoma
  • Extension from bone tumors: metastasis, chordoma, chondrosarcoma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Cavernous sinus mass, bilateral

A
  • Macroadenoma
  • Meningioma
  • Lymphoma
  • Metastases
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

CN 5 foramen

A

Standing Room Only:
V1 - Spinosum
V2 - Rotundum
V3 - Ovale

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Pineal region mass

A
  • Pineal cyst (NL <15 mm)
  • Germ cell tumor (germinoma)
  • Pineoblastoma (rare, child), pineocytoma (rare, adult)
  • Metastasis
  • Tectal glioma
  • Meningioma
  • Vein of Galen malformation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Temporal lobe lesion, adult

A
  • GBM, metastasis
  • Ganglioglioma (young adult, also parietal lobe/cerebellum), DNET
  • HSV
  • Trauma
  • Mesial temporal sclerosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Absent posterior pituitary bright spot

A
  • EG

* Diabetes insipidus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Intraventricular mass

A
  • Meningioma (left atrium)
  • Metastases, lymphoma
  • Ependymoma (4th ventricle)
  • Subependymoma (rare, 4th ventricle or frontal horn)
  • Choroid plexus papilloma (child, left atrium; rare adult, 4th ventricle)
  • Colloid cyst
  • Astrocytoma (giant cell astrocytoma in Tuberous Sclerosis)
  • Central neurocytoma (rare, adult)
  • Medulloblastoma (child, 4th ventricle; adult, cerebellar hemisphere)
  • Racemose cysticercosis (mimics epidermoid cyst, arachnoid cyst)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

CSF seeding of tumor

A
  • Germinoma
  • PNET: medulloblastoma, pineoblastoma, retinoblastoma
  • Ependymoma
  • Choroid plexus carcinoma
  • GBM
  • Metastases
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Hyperacute blood
24 hours Oxyhemoglobin " It Be" T1 Iso (I) .........T2 Bright (B)
26
Acute blood
1-3 days Deoxyhemoglobin " Id Dee" T1 Iso .........T2 Dark
27
Early Subacute Blood
3-7 days Methemoglobin "BiDee" T1 Bright .........T2 Dark
28
Late Subacute Blood
7-14 days Methemoglobin (Extra cell) "Baby" T1 Bright .........T2 Bright
29
Chronic
> 1 month Methemoglobin (Extra cell) "Doo Doo" T1 Dark .........T2 Dark
30
White matter disease (multiple)
• Ischemia • Multiple sclerosis • Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis: measles, mumps, mononucleosis, varicella; post-vaccination (basal ganglia/thalamus abnormalities differentiate from MS) • PML (classically occipitoparietal regions) • Central pontine myelinolysis • SLE and other collagen vascular diseases • Sarcoid • Lyme disease • Vitamin B12 deficiency • Radiation injury • Dysmyelinating disease: Canavan’s disease (diffuse, macrocephaly) Krabbe’s disease (diffuse) Alexander’s disease (anterior) adrenal leukodystrophy (posterior) metachromatic leukodystrophy (diffuse) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (deficient myelin-specific lipids)
31
Infarct, young adult
* Dissection: post-traumatic, Marfan’s syndrome, FMD, extension of Type A thoracic aortic dissection into common carotid artery * Drug abuse: cocaine, amphetamine * Vasculitis: giant cell arteritis, PAN, temporal arteritis; sarcoidosis; SLE, Wegener’s disease, Behcet’s disease; methamphetamine, ergotism * Basilar meningitis: bacterial, TB, fungal, syphilis * Fibromuscular dysplasia * Migraine * Moyamoya disease (child): idiopathic; mimics include Sickle cell anemia, NF-1, connective tissue disorders (Marfan’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos, homocysteinuria), radiation injury, Menke’s kinky hair syndrome, atherosclerosis (uncommon)
32
Gyriform cortical enhancement
* Stroke * Cerebritis * Postictal state * Hypertensive encephalopathy, eclampsia * Drugs: cyclosporine, MTX, FK506 (Tacrolimus)
33
Hypertensive encephalopathy
``` pregnancy renal failure TTP hemolytic-uremic syndrome similar in appearance to cyclosporine, FK-506 therapy ```
34
Dural venous sinus thrombosis
* Infection: otomastoiditis * Pregnancy * Dehydration * Sepsis * Neoplasm: falx meningioma * Hypercoagulable states
35
Conditions associated with cerebral aneurysms
* AVM * ADPCKD * Fibromuscular dysplasia * NF-1 * Collagen vascular disease * Marfan’s syndrome * Coarctation of the Aorta
36
Aneurysm in unusual location
* Mycotic: bacterial endocarditis * Vasculitis: PAN, SLE, Wegener’s granulomatosis, Takayasu’s disease * AVM * Post-traumatic
37
Hemorrhage, intraxial
* Trauma * Hypertension (putamen, thalamus, pons, cerebellum) * Aneurysm (multiple in 15%) * AVM, cryptic vascular malformation (cavernous hemangioma, capillary telangiectasia) * Thromboembolic, venous infarct (temporal lobe from transverse sinus thrombosis, parasagittal subcortical white matter from superior sagittal sinus thrombosis, thalami from straight sinus or vein of Galen thrombosis) * Hemorrhagic metastasis: melanoma, thyroid carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, adenocarcinoma (breast, lung, renal, colon); GBM, oligodendroglioma * Amyloid angiopathy * Drugs abuse: cocaine, amphetamine * Other: coagulopathy, vasculitis, encephalitis
38
Hemorrhage spontaneous intra-axial, elderly
* HTN * Amyloid angiopathy * Metastasis
39
Hemorrhage spontaneous intra-axial, young
* AVM * Aneurysm * Drug abuse: cocaine, amphetamine * Neoplasm
40
Hemorrhage multifocal intra-axial
* Trauma * Metastases * Amyloid angiopathy * Vasculitis * Venous infarction * Coagulopathy
41
Hemorrhage, subarachnoid
* Aneurysm * Trauma * AVM
42
Hemorrhage, epidural/subdural
* Trauma | * Coagulopathy
43
Leptomeningeal enhancement
* Metastases: lung, breast, melanoma, lymphoma/leukemia, PNETs (child) * Meningitis: TB, fungal; otomastoiditis * Post-surgical * SAH * Meningeal (pial) angiomatosis in Sturge-Weber
44
Meningitis bugs
* Group B streptococcus (newborn) * H. infuenzae (child) * N. meningititis (adolescent) * S. pneumonia (adult)
45
Dural enhancement/mass
* Post-craniotomy or LP, CSF diversion * Neoplasm: meningioma, metastases (breast, prostate, lymphoma), direct extension of primary intracranial tumor, neuroblastoma (child) * Meningitis * Post-hemorrhagic: remote SDH, EDH * Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (CSF leak from lumbosacral root sleeve cyst) * Sarcoidosis
46
Ependymal enhancement
* Neoplasm: lymphoma, glioma, CSF spread of primary intracranial tumor or metastasis * Ventriculitis: meningitis, post-shunting; CMV (AIDS)
47
Parenchymal calcifications, neonate
* CMV * Toxoplasmosis * Rubella infection * Herpes Simplex infection * HIV (basal ganglia) * STARCH mnemonic: Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis, AIDS, Rubella, CMV, Herpes simplex virus-2
48
T1 hyperintensity
* Intracellular/extracellular methemoglobin * Fat * Proteinaceous fluid * Melanin * Slow blood flow on certain sequences * Calcification (hydrated)
49
T2 hypointensity
* Vascular flow voids * Deoxyhemoglobin (acute bleed), intracellular methemoglobin, ferritin, hemosiderin * Calcification or ossification * Proteinaceous fluid * Densely cellular mass: meningioma, lymphoma, PNET (pineoblastoma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma) * Iron deposition, physiologic (basal ganglia, substantia nigra, red nucleus, dentate nucleus), iron deposition, pathologic
50
Calvarial button sequestrum
* O ME mnemonic: * Osteomyelitis * Metastases * EG
51
Solitary lytic defect in skull
* MT HOLE (“empty hole”) mnemonic: * Metastasis, multiple myeloma * TB, trauma * Histiocytosis, hemangioma * Osteomyelitis * Leptomeningeal cyst * Epidermoid
52
Loss of lamina dura
* CHOMP mnemonic: * Cushing’s disease * Hyperparathyroidism * Osteomalacia, osteoporosis * Multiple myeloma * Paget’s disease
53
Calcifications in brain
* PINEAL mnemonic: * Physiologic: pineal gland, choroid plexus, basal ganglia * Infections: Cysticercosis, toxoplasmosis, TB, CMV * Neoplasm: craniopharyngioma, oligodendroglioma, meningioma, chordoma * Endocrine: hypervitaminosis D, hypoparathyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, Fahr’s disease * Arterial: atherosclerosis, aneurysm * Lipoma, dermoid
54
Calcified intracranial mass
* Ca++ COME mnemonic: * Craniopharyngioma * Astrocytoma, aneurysm * Choroid plexus papilloma * Oligodendroglioma * Meningioma * Ependymoma (25%)
55
Basal ganglia calcification
* Idiopathic * Hypoparathyroidism, hyperparathyroidism * Fahr’s disease (familial idiopathic cerebral ferrocalcinosis) * Post-inflammatory, post-anoxia * AIDS * Cockayne’s syndrome
56
Intramedullary lesion
* Neoplasm: ependymoma (adult, conus medullaris/filum, can be cystic or calcified or bloody), astrocytoma (child), hemangioblastoma, metastasis (rare) * Infarct, ischemia * Hematoma * Demyelinating disease: MS * Transverse myelitis: post-viral, inflammatory, ischemia, MS, ADEM, SLE, XRT * Cryptic vascular malformation: cavernous hemangioma, capillary telangiectasia * Syrinx * Contusion * Abscess
57
Syringomyelia
* Trauma (myelomalacia) * Neoplasm * Chiari 1 or 2 malformation * Infarct (myelomalacia) * Arachnoiditis: meningitis, back surgery
58
Intradural, extramedullary lesion
* Meningioma (posterolateral) * Nerve sheath tumor (anterolateral): schwannoma, neurofibroma * Metastases (drop): germ cell tumors, ependymoma, PNET; adenocarcinoma, melanoma, lymphoma/leukemia * Dermoid, epidermoid * Lipoma * MANDELIN mnemonic: meningioma, metastasis (drop), arachnoiditis, arachnoid cyst, AVM, neurofibroma, dermoid, epidermoid, ependymoma, lipoma, infection (TB, cysticercosis) NL but tortuous nerve roots
59
Extradural lesion
* Degenerative disease: disc protrusion, osteophyte, synovial cyst * Metastases to vertebrae: lung, breast, prostate, lymphoma * Other tumors: myeloma, chordoma, aneurysmal bone cyst, giant cell tumor, lymphoma/leukemia, osteoblastoma, eosinophilic granuloma, schwannoma, neurofibroma, ganglioneuroma, ganglioneuroblastoma, neuroblastoma * Epidural abscess: discitis, osteomyelitis * Hematoma
60
Epidural lesion, child
* Extension of paraspinal or vertebral tumor: neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma, ganglioneuroma; neurofibroma, schwannoma * Abscess * Ewing’s sarcoma * Lymphoma/leukemia * Eosinophilic granuloma * Other vertebral body tumors (above)
61
Epidural extension over many levels
* Abscess * Hematoma * Metastases * Lymphoma
62
Destructive midline, skull-base lesion
* Metastases * Myeloma * Nasopharyngeal carcinoma * Chordoma (midline) * Chondrosarcoma (off midline) * Meningioma * Macroadenoma * Lymphoma * Esthesioneuroblastoma (cribiform plate) * Aggressive sinusitis: aspergillus, mucormycosis * Mucocele, polyposis
63
Destructive skull-base lesion, frontal
* Esthesioneuroblastoma * Metastasis * meningioma * Sinonasal carcinoma * Lymphoma * Rhabdomyosarcoma * Aggressive sinusitis * Mucocele, sinonasal polyposis
64
Destructive skull-base lesion, basisphenoid
* Nasopharyngeal carcinoma * Chordoma * Chondrosarcoma * Metastases, myeloma * Macroadenoma * Meningioma * Aggressive sinusitis: aspergillus, mucormycosis
65
J-shaped sella
* Cretinism * Idiopathic * Hydrocephalus * Gargoylism * Achondroplasia * Optic glioma * NF-1
66
Jugular foramen mass
* Glomus jugulare * Schwannoma * Metastasis * Meningioma * Asymmetrical or thrombosed jugular vein, ectatic carotid artery, carotid pseudoanuerysm
67
Far lateral disc herniation mimics
* Conjoined nerve root * Perineural cyst * Neurofibroma
68
Tarlov cyst mimics
* Intrasacral meningocele | * Dural ectasia
69
Arachnoiditis
* Trauma, surgery * Intrathecal steroids, anesthesia * Myelogram * Infection
70
Globe lesions
* Uveal melanoma (lobular), uveal metastases (plaque-like) * Choroidal or retinal detachment * Vitreous hemorrhage * Pseudotumor * Retinoblastoma (child) * Optic disc Drusen, choroidal osteoma (lateral to optic disc)
71
Optic nerve or nerve sheath enlargement
* Optic glioma (child, NF-1), optic nerve sheath meningioma (adult), lymphoma/leukemia, metastasis * Pseudotumor * Optic neuritis * Sarcoidosis
72
Rectus muscle enlargement
* Thyroid opthalmopathy (inferior>medial>superior>lateral) * Pseudotumor * Myositis: extension from paranasal sinus infection, pseudotumor * Metastasis, lymphoma, others * Vascular congestion from mass at orbital apex, carotid-cavernous fistula, cavernous sinus thrombosis, dural AVM
73
Lacrimal fossa mass
* Viral infection * Benign neoplasm: dermoid, pleomorphic adenoma * Malignant neoplasm: adenoid cystic carcinoma, lymphoma, metastases * Pseudotumor * Sarcoidosis * Sjogren’s syndrome * Wegener’s granulomatosis
74
Lacrimal fossa mass, bilateral
* Lymphoma | * Sarcoid
75
Intraconal mass
* Cavernous hemangioma (adult), capillary hemangioma (child), lymphangioma (child) * Orbital cellulitis, pseudotumor * Varix, carotid-cavernous fistula * Lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma (child), metastasis (child: neuroblastoma to bone; adult: breast, lung, prostate, melanoma to uvea, rectus muscles, bone)
76
Extraconal mass
* Metastasis to bony orbit * Invasion by adjacent primary tumor: paranasal sinus or nasal SCC, sphenoid wing meningioma * Lacrimal fossa mass * Subperiosteal abscess or hematoma
77
Orbital mass, child
* LO VISHON mnemonic: * Leukemia, lymphoma * Optic nerve glioma * Vascular malformation (capillary hemangioma, lymphangioma) * Inflammation (pre-, post-septal) * Sarcoma (rhabdomyosarcoma) * Histiocytosis * Orbital pseudotumor, osteoma * Neuroblastoma
78
Middle ear mass
* Cholesteatoma, cholesterol granuloma, inflammatory debris/granulation tissue * Vascular: aberrant carotid artery, dehiscent jugular bulb * Neoplasm: glomus tympanicum (cochlear promontory, ascending pharyngeal artery embolization), glomus jugulare invading middle ear (glomus jugulotympanicum), hemangioma, others
79
Lesion causing pulsatile tinnitus
* Aberrant carotid artery, high jugular bulb or dehiscent jugular bulb * Transverse sinus/internal jugular vein thrombosis, high grade carotid stenosis, dural AVF * Glomus tympanicum, glomus jugulare invading middle ear

Radiology (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions