title: Distinctive Characteristic Features of Intramedullary Hemangiopericytomas.
abstract: METHODS
  The retrospective analysis of intramedullary hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) was performed, and the entity was discussed in accordance with the literature findings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed at defining distinctive characteristic features of intramedullary HPC with respect to surgical approach and prognosis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Intramedullary HPCs are extremely rare tumors. They originate from capillary pericytes, supposedly follow the vessels over the spinal cord, and infiltrate deep into the spinal cord without a distinct plane. Their treatments and prognosis are not well-defined in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our database was retrospectively reviewed for the cases of HPCs. Later on, a literature search was performed to reveal all reported cases of intramedullary HPCs. The following key words were searched in PubMed databases: "hemangiopericytoma and intramedullary," "hemangiopericytoma and spine (spinal) and intradural," and "hemangiopericytoma and spinal cord." The articles were reviewed for patients' demographics features, imaging characteristics, tumor-specific factors (surgical technique, pathological descriptions, and world health organization grades), and postoperative course and prognosis (adjuvant therapies, recurrences, complications, and mortalities).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of seven patients (three male and four female) was reached, with their ages ranging from 15 to 80 years (mean, 32.5 years). The tumors were located majorly in thoracic region (5/7, 71.4%), and only two cases were in the cervical region (2/7, 28.6%). All tumors were completely removed, and only two cases received radiotherapy. No recurrence was reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete resection of the intramedullary HPCs seems to be the best management strategy for long-term and recurrence-free survival and in alleviating further need for radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cezmi Çağrı
authors.initials: CÇ
authors.lastname: Türk
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Niyazi Nefi
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ministry of Health, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dinç
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Süren
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Çağatay
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Özdöl
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gediz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ministry of Health, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yıldız
keywords: Hemangiopericytoma; Intradural; Intramedullary; Spine; Surgery