Abstract:

Objective: To investigate the MRI features and clinical significance of intra-spinal meningioma. Methods: 34 cases of
intra-spinal meningioma confirmed by surgical operation and pathological diagnosis were collected and analyzed. Tumor site, tumor signal performance, enhanced signal characteristics and changes in neighboring meninges were observed. Results: 26 lesions of intraspinal meningioma occurred in the thoracic segments, 4 lesions in the cervical segments, 4 lesions in the lumbar segments. Hetergenous signal of tumor occurred in 5 lesions, cystic change in 1 lesion, adjacent spinal dura mater thickened in 3 lesions, wide base signs appeared in 20 lesions. Most tumors showed enhancement signal in contrast enhancement. Conclusion: The spinal meningioma most often occurred in females, which mainly located at the intra-dural space of throcic segments. Most tumors were solid, hemorrhage cystic change was less. The signal of tumors was hetergenous because the degree of calcification was different in
tumors. All tumors appeared enhancement pattern after injection GD-DTPA. Spinal cord showed chronic compressed and thinned sign. Spinal meningioma can cause the adjacent dura thickening, with "Mouse-tail sign" in contrast enhancement.

Key words: intra-spinal canal, tumor, magnetic resonance imaging, contrast enhancement