Brain tumors can be analysed according to MRI characteristics. Some key features need to be answered to make a differential for any brain lesion. Characteristics to look at include:

- Location of the lesion (e.g. intra- or extra-axial, sellar or pontocerebellar region)

- Solitary mass or multi-focal disease

- Different radiological features (e.g. fat, cystic components, contrast enhancement)

- Tumor mimics (abscess, tumefactive MS, granulomatose infections)

Most brain tumors display a low signal intensity on T1 weighted images and high signal intensity on T2 weighted images. A high signal on T1 or low on T2 can be an important clue to the diagnosis!

The following brain tumors will be discussed: