TITLE:
Contribution of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Diagnosis of Brain Metastases
AUTHORS:
Ibrahima Sory Doumbouya, Thierno Hamidou Balde, Aminata Sacko, Mamady Kourouma, Abdoulaye Kobele Keïta, Lama Kegdigoma Agoda-Koussema
KEYWORDS:
Brain Metastases, MRI, Primary Tumors, CNSS
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.11 No.11,
November
22,
2024
ABSTRACT: Objective: To assess the value of MRI in the diagnosis of brain metastases due to the main primary tumours in patients who have undergone MRI at the CNSS. Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive study of 3 years and 7 months duration from January 2019 to July 2023 involving 24 cases. We included in our study, all records of patients whose brain MRI was interpreted as being in favour of brain metastases. The examinations were performed using a TOSHIBA (CANON) MRI scanner with a power of 1.5 Tesla. The parameters studied were age, sex, circumstances of discovery, type of primary cancer, location of lesions and MRI complications. Data were collected and analysed using Kobocollect and SPSS 22 software. Results: Out of a total of 2021 cases of brain MRI performed, brain metastases represented 24 cases or 1.20%. The average age of our patients was 51 years with extremes of 29 and 72 years. No gender predominance was noted. HTIC syndrome and motor deficits were the most common symptoms with 37.50% and 20.83% respectively. The discovery of brain metastases was synchronous with that of the primary cancer in 75% of cases. Brain metastases were metachronous in 25% of cases and were indicative of a previously latent neoplasia in 12.5% of cases. A predominance of bronchopulmonary cancer was noted in 33.33% of cases. The lesions were single in 25% of the patients and multiple in 75%. Their location was above tentorial in 75% of the patients, while in 08% of the cases they were below tentorial and in 17% of the cases above and below tentorial at the same time. The most common complications were perilesional edema in 96% of cases, followed by mass effect in 50%. Conclusion: In terms of neuroimaging, MRI is the gold standard for diagnosing brain metastases. However, due to its cost and technical inaccessibility in a disadvantaged context, brain MRI is rarely used and yet this non-invasive technique compared to other neurosurgical procedures that are not very accessible in Guinea and often unavailable with limited resources allows for a more precise diagnosis in situations where doubt about the nature of a non-specific brain lesion persists.