title: Tips and traps in neurological imaging: imaging the perimedullary spaces.
abstract: The spinal canal is frequently a source of difficulties, traps and diagnostic errors. Pitfalls related to artifacts are resolved by using appropriate sequences. Good knowledge of the appearance of certain particular anatomical structures (the cauda equina roots, the radicular veins of the lumbar spine and conus medullaris, the dorsal root ganglion) and of frequent variants (fibrolipoma of the filum terminale, common root sheaths, root cysts) will avoid a good many errors. Dilatation of epidural veins in intracranial hypotension can simulate the contrast enhancement of a tumour. An increase in epidural fat can induce pathogenic stenosis of the dural sheath.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, hôpital de Hautepierre, hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, France. jean-louis.dietemann@chru-strasbourg.fr
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dietemann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogorin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abu Eid
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanda
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mourao Soares
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Draghici
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rotaru
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koob
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D059906:Neuroimaging; D013115:Spinal Canal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis