title: Comprehensive neuraxis imaging in leptomeningeal metastasis: a retrospective case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quantify imaging abnormalities in a retrospective case series of patients with leptomeningeal metastasis (LM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 240 adult patients with LM (125 nonbrain solid tumor patients with positive cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] cytology; 40 nonbrain solid tumor patients with negative CSF cytology and positive MRI; and 50 lymphoma and 25 leukemia patients with positive CSF-flow cytometry) underwent brain and entire spine MRI and radioisotope CSF-flow studies prior to treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MRI was more often abnormal in solid tumors (40 CSF defined and 100% in MRI defined) compared with hematologic cancers (16-20%; p = 0.03). Similarly, CSF-flow studies was more often abnormal in solid tumors (25-28%) compared with hematologic cancers (10-20%; p = 0.04). MRI and flow-study abnormalities altered therapy in a third of solid tumors and 15% of hematologic cancers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although imaging abnormalities are less often seen in hematologic cancers compared with solid tumor LM, imaging abnormalities frequently result in treatment alteration.
authors: University of Washington, Department of Neurology/Division of Neuro-Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, 825 Eastlake Avenue E, PO Box 19023, MS G4940, Seattle, WA 98109-1023, USA. chambemc@u.washington.edu.
authors: Marc C
authors: MC
authors: Chamberlain
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult