title: MRI findings in intraspinal mature teratoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterise and evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images for their clinical value in diagnosing and assessing intraspinal mature teratoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  MRI images obtained from eight patients with a histopathologically verified intraspinal mature teratoma were analysed retrospectively regarding tumour location, size, and margins. Additionally, the signal intensity and enhancement pattern on MRI and other associated malformations were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three cases that contained fatty tissue showed markedly heterogeneous hyperintense signalling on T1-weighted images, and mixed hyperintense and hypointense signalling on T2-weighted images and fat-suppression sequences. All three of those cases showed an irregular peripheral fatty tissue signal, and one case showed additional patches of an interspersed calcification signal. The remaining five cases without fatty tissue displayed heterogeneous hyperintense signalling on T1-weighted images and T2-weighted images, and also on fat-suppression sequences. Four of the five cases showed additional patches of interspersed nodular calcification signals. Contrast-enhanced MRI images showed only slight enhancement (n=3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRI is regarded as the reference standard diagnostic technique to reveal the location of teratomas and the degree of spinal cord involvement. In most cases, MRI provides accurate anatomical and histological information, which is necessary for patients with suspected intraspinal mature teratoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Puyang City Oilfield General Hospital, Puyang, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Qingdao, Shandong, China. Electronic address: haodp1979@163.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Qingdao, Shandong, China. Electronic address: 17853299958@163.com.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D013724:Teratoma / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult