A Nonenhancing World Health Organization Grade II Intramedullary Spinal Ependymoma in the Conus: Case Illustration and Review of Imaging Characteristics

Global Spine Journal
Andrew A FanousMeic H Schmidt

Abstract

Spinal ependymomas comprise ~60% of all intramedullary tumors in adults. Ependymomas demonstrate distinct imaging features, such as central location within the spinal cord, symmetrical expansion, intra- and extratumoral cysts, hemosiderin caps, and strong enhancement on contrast-injected, T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In adults, most ependymomas are myxopapillary, and in children, most are nonmyxopapillary. In general, nonmyxopapillary or classic ependymomas are hyperintense on T2- and hypointense on T1-weighted MR imaging, but whereas the signal intensity on T1 and T2 is variable, homogeneous contrast enhancement is usually a characteristic finding. Here, the authors provide an overview on spinal ependymomas with an emphasis on imaging characteristics and morphological background and present the case of a World Health Organization grade II ependymoma in the conus that did not enhance. Interestingly, the tumor contained a large hemorrhagic cyst. Just as hemorrhagic metastatic tumors may not enhance, a hemorrhagic ependymoma may likewise not enhance after administration of contrast agent. Thus, the differential diagnosis of a nonenhancing intramedullary lesion in the conus should include ependymoma, particularly i...Continue Reading

References

Nov 1, 1991·Acta Radiologica·M H Li, S Holtås
Jan 1, 1991·Neuroradiology·M C ChamberlainG A Press
Dec 1, 1989·The British Journal of Radiology·C I RothwellI M Holland
May 1, 1989·AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology·P M ParizelJ Flament-Durand
Sep 1, 1985·Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography·G M BydderI R Young
Feb 1, 1988·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·C P Hawkins, J R Heron
Jul 1, 1988·Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography·W A WagleJ E Mincy
Sep 1, 1987·Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography·B S SlaskyI R Young
Aug 1, 1984·AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology·D H CarrI R Young
Dec 1, 1995·Radiology·M J FineF J Epstein
Aug 1, 1993·Journal of Neurosurgery·F J EpsteinD Freed
Jan 1, 1993·Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI·R FulbrightG Sze
Aug 25, 1999·European Radiology·D L Balériaux
Dec 12, 2000·Radiographics : a Review Publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc·K K KoellerA L Morrison
Nov 15, 2002·Radiographics : a Review Publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc·Kelly K KoellerUNKNOWN Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
Feb 4, 2005·Journal of Neuro-oncology·Yi-Hsien LinSang-Hue Yen
Oct 16, 2007·Journal of Neurosurgery. Spine·J Bradley WhiteWilliam E Krauss
Aug 30, 2008·Neuropathology : Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Neuropathology·Mehar C SharmaVeer S Mehta
Nov 8, 2008·Current Opinion in Neurology·Roberta RudàRiccardo Soffietti
Nov 14, 2008·Pediatric Blood & Cancer·Courtney S McGuirePaul Graham Fisher
Apr 11, 2009·Child's Nervous System : ChNS : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery·E L YuhN Gupta
Mar 13, 2010·Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society·Tuncay KanerAli Fahir Ozer

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 15, 2015·The Spine Journal : Official Journal of the North American Spine Society·Sheng-Che ChouShih-Hung Yang
Jan 7, 2020·Korean journal of family medicine·Siti Fairus AsaharAlan Basil Peter

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
biopsy
biopsies

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Journal of Neuroimaging : Official Journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
Bo SunAli Liu
Radiographics : a Review Publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc
K K KoellerA L Morrison
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved