Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scans of Cervical Spinal Cord Ependymoma with Changing Radiological Features over a Short Period of Time.

Abstract

In a 30-year-old woman with cervical ependymoma, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features changed over a short period of time. A T2-weighted MRI scan obtained 1 month before surgery showed an intramedullary tumor with mixed intensity suggesting solid and cystic components at the C4-7 level. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI showed ring enhancement, including a cystic component at the C4-7 level. However, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed uptake at the C5 level, and another gadolinium-enhanced MRI scan performed 24 days after the previous scan showed only enhanced lesions corresponding to the solid component at the C5-6 level. These images changed over a short time because the spontaneous hematoma, which was enhanced on the first MRI scan, had disappeared later. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography or repeated gadolinium-enhanced MRI may be useful if the initial MRI scan suggests the presence of a hematoma in spinal ependymoma.

• Authors: Yoshitaka Nagashima, Yusuke Nishimura, Ryuta Saito
• Journal: World neurosurgery (World Neurosurg) Vol. 167 Pg. 95-97 (Nov 2022) ISSN: 1878-8769 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 36055615 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Gadolinium

Topics

• Female
• Humans
• Adult
• Cervical Cord (diagnostic imaging, surgery, pathology)
• Gadolinium
• Spinal Cord (pathology)
• Spinal Cord Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, surgery, pathology)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
• Ependymoma (diagnostic imaging, surgery, pathology)