The "dural tail sign" in MRI of spinal meningiomas.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of "dural tail sign" in spinal meningiomas with gadolinium enhanced MRI in sagittal, axial, and especially coronal planes.


METHODS
On a 0.5 T system, sagittal and axial T1 spin echo images (TR/TE 550/22) and sagittal T2 turbo spin echo images (TR/TE 2855/150) of the thoracolumbar spine were acquired. After administration of gadolinium (0.1 mmol/kg), sagittal, axial, and coronal T1 spin echo images (TR/TE 500/30) were acquired at the area of the tumors.


RESULTS
The nonenhanced images demonstrated intradural and extramedullary tumors with a signal intensity in the T1 images a little higher than the adjacent spinal cord. After the administration of gadolinium, homogeneous enhancement of the tumors was seen. An even stronger enhancement was noticed at the borders of the tumors with the adjacent meninges, seen in the sagittal, axial, and even better in the coronal views. Both tumors proved histologically to be meningiomas.


CONCLUSIONS
In evaluating spinal meningiomas, a gadolinium enhanced MRI of the spine in sagittal, axial, and especially coronal planes should be performed to detect "dural tails," very suggestive of meningioma. These three scanning planes are necessary to visualize the localization and extent of the tumors and their tails prior to surgery.
Department of Radiology, De Wever Hospital, Heerlen, The Netherlands.
L G
LG
Quekel
C W
CW
Versteege
D004388:Dura Mater / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*