The bright choroid plexus on MR: CT and pathologic correlation

Fourteen patients studied with MR imaging were found, incidentally, to have unusually bright, large choroid plexus glomera on T2-weighted sequences. A group of 167 patients was then examined retrospectively for size and intensity of the choroid plexus glomera on T2-weighted images. In the latter group of 167 patients, 66 (39.5%) had bright choroid plexus glomera. Of those who had bright choroid plexus glomera, eight of the 14 initial groups and 11 of the 66 patients studied retrospectively had previous CT scans. The typical CT appearance of these bright glomera consisted of nonenhancing central regions of low (but not negative) attenuation with peripheral calcifications in the majority. The remainder showed noncalcified glomera. Fifty-two glomera were obtained at autopsy and examined retrospectively. Eight showed small, variably sized masses with lipid deposits, neuroepithelial microcysts, and peripheral psammoma body calcifications. One patients who died had a bright choroid plexus glomus on MR, and his glomera showed the same pathologic findings. The autopsy findings were believed to be typical pathologically for early xanthogranulomata formation. These early xanthogranulomatous changes appear to be of little clinical significance but must be differentiated from other lesions that can produce bright or enlarged choroid plexus glomera on MR.