Premium
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Ruptured Spinal Dermoid Tumors with Spread of Fatty Droplets in the Central Spinal Canal and/or Spinal Subarachnoidal Space
Author(s) -
Zhang Yong,
Cheng Jingliang,
Zhang Lan,
Bai Jie,
Wang Juan,
Li Huali,
Yang Yunjun
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of neuroimaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1552-6569
pISSN - 1051-2284
DOI - 10.1111/j.1552-6569.2012.00750.x
Subject(s) - medicine , spinal canal , subarachnoid space , magnetic resonance imaging , dermoid cyst , spinal cord , anatomy , hyperintensity , spinal cord neoplasm , radiology , pathology , cerebrospinal fluid , psychiatry
OBJECTIVE To evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of ruptured spinal dermoid tumors with spread of lipid droplets in the central spinal canal and/or spinal subarachnoid space and to understand the underlying mechanism.METHODS The MRI features of 12‐ruptured spinal dermoid tumors were retrospectively analyzed. A literature review was performed to analyze the reported cases of ruptured spinal dermoid tumors along with our cases.RESULTS The locations of dermoids in our series are all at or bellow T12 level. Of the 12 cases, 10 ruptured into the central spinal canal, 1 ruptured into the central spinal canal as well as the subarachnoid space, and 1 ruptured into subarachnoid space only. Free lipid droplets exhibited hyperintensity on T1 weighted images, hypointensity on T2 weighted images, and low signal on fat‐suppression sequence.CONCLUSION Spinal dermoid tumors ruptured into central spinal canal and/or spinal subarachnoid space have unique MRI features. The absorption of lipid droplets within central spinal canal is rather difficult, and their movement is extremely slow. We propose that fatty components within the central canal of spinal cord may be partially associated with spinal dermoid tumors developmentally.