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Simple Summary: Craniopharyngiomas are benign but complex WHO grade I extra-axial epithelial neoplasms. Their infiltrative nature towards adjacent structures, such as the hypothalamic–pituitary axis, limits surgical excision and increases the rate of intra- and postoperative complications. An accurate depiction of the craniopharyngioma topography, craniopharyngioma–brain interface, and tumor morphology is valuable in the diagnostic work-up of craniopharyngiomas and may address treatment strategies, aiming to balance the risk of postsurgical hypothalamic dysfunction with recurrence rates. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to provide an overview of the role of imaging in both diagnosis and early post-treatment follow-up, highlighting its usefulness in the diagnostic process and its role in outcome prediction. Craniopharyngiomas continue to present a challenge in clinical practice due to their heterogeneity and unpredictable adherence to vital neurovascular structures, particularly the hypothalamus. This results in different degrees of hypothalamus–pituitary axis dysfunction and a lack of uniform consensus and treatment guidelines regarding optimal management. MRI and CT are complementary techniques in the preoperative diagnostic phase, enabling the precise definition of craniopharyngioma size, shape, and consistency, as well as guiding classification into histopathological subtypes and topographical categories. Meanwhile, MRI plays a crucial role in the immediate postoperative period and follow-up stages by identifying treatment-related changes and residual tumors. This pictorial essay aims to provide an overview of the role of imaging in identifying variables indicative of the adherence degree to the hypothalamus, hypothalamic–pituitary dysfunction, the extent of surgical excision, and prognosis. For a more comprehensive assessment, we choose to distinguish the following two scenarios: (1) the initial diagnosis phase, where we primarily discuss the role of radiological variables predictive of adhesions to the surrounding neurovascular structures and axis dysfunction which may influence the choice of surgical resection; (2) the early post-treatment follow-up phase, where we discuss the interpretation of treatment-related changes that impact outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most infants and children with achondroplasia show delayed motor skill development; however, some patients may have clinical consequences related to cranio-cervical junction stenosis and compression. Purpose: To assess, using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), quantitative variables linked to neuromotor impairment in achondroplasic children. Material and Methods: In total, 24 achondroplasic children underwent pediatric neurological assessment and were grouped in two cohorts according to relevant motor skill impairment. Achondroplasic children with (n=12) and without (n=12) motor symptoms were identified, and brain MRI scans were quantitatively evaluated. 3D fast spoiled gradient echo T1-weighted images were used to assess: supratentorial intracranial volumes (SICV); supratentorial intracranial brain volume (SICBV); SICV/SICBV ratio; posterior cranial fossa volume (PCFV); posterior cranial fossa brain volume (PCBFV); PCFV/PCFBV ratio; ventricular and extra-ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes; foramen magnum (FM) area; and jugular foramina (JF) areas. Results: In both groups, SICV/SICBV ratio, supratentorial ventricular and extra-ventricular space volumes were increased while SICBV was increased only in the asymptomatic group (P < 0.05). PCFV/PCFBV ratio, IV ventricle, infratentorial extra-ventricular spaces volumes were reduced (P < 0.05) in the symptomatic group while PCFBV was increased only in the asymptomatic group (P < 0.05). Foramen magnum (FM) area was more reduced in the symptomatic group than the asymptomatic group (P < 0.05) but no correlation between FM area and ventriculomegaly was found (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Evaluation of the FM area together with infratentorial ventricular and extra-ventricular space volume reduction may be helpful in differentiating patients at risk of developing motor skill impairment. Further investigation is needed to better understand the temporal profile between imaging and motor function in order to propose possible personalized surgical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"This study aims to identify the premature synostosis of ""major"" and ""minor"" sutures of the four ""sutural arches"" of the skull and to perform a morphometric analysis in children with syndromic craniosynostosis in order to evaluate changes in the skull base linked with premature suture synostosis.~Introduction~Background~We reviewed multiplanar high-resolution CT images, implemented with 3D reconstructions, from 18 patients with complex syndromic craniosynostosis and compared them with 18 age-matched healthy subjects. We assessed the calvarial sutures and their extension to the skull base, and then we correlated specific types of synostosis with the size, shape and symmetry of the cranial fossae.~Methods~Methods~We found a marked asymmetry of the skull base growth in all patients. The synostotic involvement around the coronal ring caused a reduction in the growth of the anterior and middle fossae. The size of the posterior cranial fossa was related not only to ""major"" but also to ""minor"" suture synostosis of the lambdoid and parieto-squamosal arches.~Results~Results~Changes in the skull base and craniofacial axis symmetry are due to structural and functional relationships between ""major"" and ""minor"" skull sutures, suggesting a structural and functional relationship between the neurocranium and basicranium. The early recognition of prematurely closed skull base sutures may help clinicians and neurosurgeons to establish correct therapeutic approaches.~Conclusion~Conclusions" [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: During the early weeks of life optimization of nutrition in extremely preterm infants presents a critical opportunity to attenuate the adverse neurological consequences of prematurity and potentially improve neurodevelopmental outcome. We hypothesized that the use of multicomponent lipid emulsion (MLE) in parenteral nutrition (PN) would be related to larger volume of the cerebellum on brain magnetic resonance at term of equivalent age (TEA) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants., Study Design: We analyzed the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at TEA of a cohort of preterm infants with gestational age ≤28 weeks and/or birth weight <1,000 g randomly assigned in our previous trial to receive an MLE or soybean-based lipid emulsion (SLE). The primary outcome of the study was the cerebellar volume (CeV), valued on MRI acquired at TEA. Secondary outcomes included total brain volume (TBV), supratentorial volume, brainstem volume, and CeV corrected for TBV evaluated on MRI acquired at TEA., Results: MRIs at TEA of 34 infants were then analyzed: 17 in the MLE group and 17 in the SLE group. The postmenstrual age (PMA) at which MRIs were performed were comparable between the two study groups. The CeV as well as the PMA-corrected CeV were significantly higher in the MLE group than in the SLE group. No difference was found among the other brain volumes considered., Conclusion: Our results suggest that the use of MLE in PN could promote CeV growth in ELBW infants, valued with MRI at TEA., Key Points: · Optimization of nutrition in extremely low birthweight infants.. · Use of multicomponent lipid emulsions in parenteral nutrition.. · Larger cerebellar volume with use of multicomponent lipid emulsion.., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)