Prediction of pediatric meningioma recurrence by preoperative MRI assessment

Preoperative identification of high-recurrent pediatric meningiomas with MRI features would help clinicians to make optimal treatment strategies; however, the relationships between radiological features and recurrence of meningiomas in pediatric population have not been clearly demonstrated yet. The aim of this study is to identify preoperative MRI features which are significant risk factors for recurrence of pediatric meningiomas. From January 2005 to December 2012, we retrospectively reviewed 52 pediatric meningiomas in terms of preoperative MRI features and their clinical data and followed them up from 22 to 128 months (mean 63 months) after the initial surgery. The relationships between these radiological findings and relapse-free survival (RFS) time were assessed initially with univariate Cox analysis and then corrected by multivariate Cox analysis. According to univariate analysis, irregular shape, narrow-based attachment, and skull base location were significantly correlated with shorter time to recurrences of meningiomas in pediatric patients. When corrected by multivariate analysis, irregular shape (P = 0.05; OR 3.442, 95 % CI 1.001–11.831) and narrow-based attachment (P = 0.004; OR 7.164, 95 % CI 1.894–27.09) were strong independent predictive factors for worse RFS of pediatric meningiomas. In pediatric population, narrow-based attachment and irregular shape were significantly correlated with recurrences of meningiomas. Our results could help clinicians to make optimal therapeutic strategies for pediatric patients with intracranial meningiomas before surgery.