Cystic fluid in craniopharyngiomas: MR imaging and quantitative analysis.

A prospective study of cystic fluid in craniopharyngiomas in 10 patients was performed to correlate signal intensity on T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images and biochemical analysis. Within 2 days before surgery, each patient underwent MR imaging before and after administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Five patients had cystic fluid lower in signal intensity than white matter, with protein levels less than 9,000 mg/dL (90.00 g/L) and no free methemoglobin. One of the five patients had the highest triglyceride concentration (84 mg/dL [0.95 mmol/L]) of all 10 patients; another of these five had the highest cholesterol concentration of all (270 mg/dL [6.98 mmol/L]). It is concluded that the increased signal intensity of cystic fluid in craniopharyngiomas on T1-weighted MR images can be caused by a protein concentration greater than or equal to 9,000 mg/dL (90.00 g/L), the presence of free methemoglobin, or both. In the ranges of concentrations measured in this study, cholesterol and triglyceride did not increase signal intensity.