Radiological manifestations of spinal cord tumors

Im, J H; Han, M C; Choi, B I

Abstract

The plain films and myelographic findings in 92 cases of spinal cord tumors including 31 metastatic tumors arepresented. The neoplasm in the majority of the cases were in the thoracic region, 64%;the other sites beinglumbar, 22%, sacral,7%, and cervical, 7%. Ten percent were in the intramedullary, 28% in the intraduralextramedullary, 4% in both intradural and extradural and 58% in extradural in location. Thirty seven percent inintraspinal benign tmors reveal erosive change in bones and 83% in malignant tumors caused radiologically visiblebone destruction and soft tissue change. Characteristic finding of intramedullary tumor is symmetric enlargementof cord shadow with narrowing of lateral gutters. Contrast column shows beading along the lateral border due tofilling of root pouch. Sharply defined concave defect in association with slight widening and lateral beaking ofoil column at tumor site are characteristic of intradural tumor. Usually the cord shadow is displacedcontralaterally. Extradural lesion produce obstruction with ill defined dentate border, smooth tapering orirregular narrowing of oil column, which is usually narrowed at tumor site. The cord shadow is normal or slightlydisplaced. An evaluation of the myelographic changes in intramedullary, intradural extramedullary and extraduraltumors indicates that it is usually possible to make correct location of intraspinal tumors with reasonableaccuracy.