Intracranial tumours in the first year of life

Twenty-five infants with histologically verified brain tumours presenting during the first year of life and diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) were studied. The clinical features are presented, the results of surgery assessed and the CT findings analysed and compared with the macroscopic appearance of the tumours. Since the introduction of CT, the number of intracranial tumours diagnosed in infancy has increased, particularly in the supratentorial location. In our study, astrocytomas were the most common, followed by choroid plexus papillomas, ependymomas and primitive glial tumours. At diagnosis, many tumours had become large, but usually had a well-defined edge, suggesting expansion rather than infiltration. The CT features generally corresponded to the macroscopic appearance of the tumours. The operative mortality in the series was 20%.