Differential Diagnosis of CT Images in Children with Neuroblastomas and Ganglioneuroblastomas

Objective: To investigate the differential features of CT images in children with neuroblastomas (N) and ganglioneuroblastomas (G). Materials and Methods: Clinical data of 12 children in group G and 15 in group N undergoing CT examination and definitely diagnosed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed. The focal conditions were observed and compared in the two groups, including location, size, boundaries, morphology, enhanced degree and mode, abdominal vascular involvement, presence or absence of spanning the midline, infiltration of peripheral organs, angiography manifestations in tumors or surroundings, presence or absence of calcification and vascular tumor emboli as well as metastases of distal organs and lymph nodes. Results: In group N, the incidence of tumors in the adrenal area was conspicuously higher than in group G (P < 0.05), while that of tumors with regular morphology and clear boundaries was significantly lower than in group G (P < 0.01); Angiography manifestation rate and incidences of vascular embedding, lymph node metastasis, infiltration and organic metastasis in group N were all markedly higher than in group G (P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance between the two groups in terms of focal size, presence or absence of calcification and spanning the midline, and enhanced degree and mode, as well as vascular tumor emboli (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Mostly located in adrenal areas and with vascular embedding as a primary manifestation, the neuroblastoma extremely readily metastases to lymph nodes and other organs as well as infiltrating local tissues, with dilation on angiography frequent in or around the tumors. With vascular displacement as a primary manifestation, ganglioneuroblastoma has a regular morphology and clear boundaries.