Convenient mnemonics for the causes of cerebral ring enhancing lesions are:
- MAGIC DR orDR MAGIC
- DR MAGIC L
- MAGICAL DR
IM Board Review: Ring-Enhancing and Non-Enhancing Lesions A favorite of the USMLE Steps, NBME Internal Medicine Shelf, and ABIM Internal Medicine Board Exams seems to be those ring-shaped lesions picked up on imaging studies. It is characterized as a ring-enhancing lesion on neuroimaging. Cite this: A 46-Year-Old Woman With a Cerebral Mass: Osmosis USMLE Study Question of the Week - Medscape - Mar 01, 2018.
Mnemonics
MAGIC DR orDR MAGIC
- M: metastasis
- A: abscess
- G: glioblastoma
- I: infarct (subacute phase), inflammatory - neurocysticercosis (NCC), tuberculoma
- C: contusion
- D: demyelinating disease (classically incomplete rim of enhancement)
- R: radiation necrosis or resolving hematoma
DR MAGIC L or MAGICAL DR
In some institutions, 'L' and 'A' is added to the mnemonic for lymphoma and AIDS-related CNS disease.
- D: demyelinating disease (classically incomplete rim of enhancement)
- R: radiation necrosis or resolving hematoma
- M: metastasis
- A: abscess
- G: glioblastoma
- I: infarct (subacute phase), inflammatory - neurocysticercosis (NCC), tuberculoma
- C: contusion
- A: AIDS
- L: lymphoma (this appearance more common in immunocompromised)
Related video
- 1. Radiology Board Review Notes - James R. Taylor, M.D.
- 2. Brant WE, Helms CA. Fundamentals of diagnostic radiology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2007) ISBN:0781765188. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Shetty G, Avabratha KS, Rai BS. Ring-enhancing lesions in the brain: a diagnostic dilemma. (2014) Iranian journal of child neurology. 8 (3): 61-4. Pubmed