Ewha Med J.  1996 Sep;19(3):409-415. 10.12771/emj.1996.19.3.409.

MR Findings of Intramedullary Spinal Tumor

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to analyze the MR findings of intramedullary tumors and review the literatures for evaluating of characteristic findings of each intramedullary tumors. MATERIALS & METHODS: We experienced eight intramedullary tumors from March 1993 to February 1995, including four astrocytomas two ependymoma, one hemangioblastoma, and one cavernoma. MR images were get by 1.5T GE Signa and analized retrospectively.
RESULTS
Intramedullary tumor was demonstrated by MR images in eight patients. They were five men and three women ranging in age from 3 to 56 years and complained both motor and sensory changes and symptom duration was between 6 months and 3 years. Ependymoma showed diffuse homogenous enhancing mass at the level of thoracic cord(T2-3) and thoracolumbar level(T11-L2) without cystic change, One had hemorrhage within the mass and massive leptomeningeal metastasis at all spinal cord and brain. Among astrocystomas, one case at the cervical cord unusually revealed hemorrhage in the mass and regional large syrinx. The other one occured at the conus medullaris portion and showed well-defined mass and intratumoral cystic change. We also experienced rare intramedullary hemangioblastoma, which demonstrated typical signal voided vascular structures revealed homogenous enhancing mass. A very rare intramedullary cavernoma at the level of cervical cord showed typical dark signal hemosiderin rim and variable staged hemorrhage in the mass.
CONCLUSION
Although, MR imaging appearance of intramedullary tumors is nonspecific, and it is often impossible to differentiate with certainty between the various possible tumors, especially ependymomas and astrucystomas. However, MR findings of hemangioblastoma and cavernoma are specific and possible to diagnose. MR imaging is the unquestioned technique of choice in demonstrating and differentiating the intramedullary tumors.

Keyword

Spinal tumors; Intramedullary tumors; MRI

MeSH Terms

Astrocytoma
Brain
Conus Snail
Ependymoma
Female
Hemangioblastoma
Hemorrhage
Hemosiderin
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Neoplasm Metastasis
Retrospective Studies
Spinal Cord
Hemosiderin
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