title: MRI manifestations of leptomeningeal metastasis.
abstract: Twenty-six cases with leptomeningeal metastasis were analyzed and Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging was found to be the most useful tool for making the diagnosis. The important manifestations in order of frequency were: 1) leptomeningeal enhancement; 2) ependymal enhancement; 3) plaque, nodule or mass in the subarachnoid space or ventricles; 4) nerve root thickening; and 5) ventricular dilatation not related to the obstruction of the primary neoplasm. A review of the literature has shown that intracranial leptomeningeal metastasis from spinal cord astrocytoma are very rare. In our series, 3 cases with primary brain tumors developed spinal subarachnoid involvement. This paper also reviews 1 case with thoracic cord astrocytoma which developed multiple intracranial leptomeningeal metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Howng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA