PRIMARY INTRAMEDULLARY TUMORS OF THE SPINAL CORD AND FILUM TERMINALE

BACKGROUND: Primary spinal cord intramedullary tumors are rare and present with insidious symptoms. Previous treatment protocols emphasized biopsy and radiation/chemotherapy but more aggressive protocols have emerged. OBJECTIVE: To report our experience. METHOD: Forty-eight patients were diagnosed with primary intramedullary tumors. The cervical cord was involved in 27% and thoracic in 42% of patients. Complete microsurgical removal was attempted whenever possible without added neurological morbidity. RESULTS: Complete resection was obtained in 33 (71%) patients. Neurological function remained stable or improved in 32 patients (66.7%). Ependymoma was the most frequent tumor (66.7%). CONCLUSION: Neurological outcome is superior in patients with subtle findings; aggressive microsurgical resection should be pursued with acceptable neurological outcomes.

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Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

10.1093/med/9780197512166.003.0007 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 60-67

Author(s):

Jennifer A. Tracy

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Vertebral Body ◽

Spinal Canal ◽

Conus Medullaris ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Cervical Cord ◽

Filum Terminale ◽

Upper Limbs ◽

Descending Pathways ◽

Lumbar Vertebral Body

The spinal cord begins as the cervical cord immediately below the medulla and extends through the spinal canal, where it becomes the thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal parts of the cord. In most persons, the spinal cord proper ends at the lower portion of the first lumbar vertebral body, where it forms the conus medullaris and, finally, the filum terminale. A cervical enlargement contains the innervation pathways of the upper limbs; a lumbar enlargement contains the pathways of the lower limbs. This chapter reviews ascending and descending pathways in the spinal cord.

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8 5-Aminolevulinic Acid and Indocyanine Green: Fluorescence-Guided Resection of Spinal Cord Intramedullary Tumors

Fluorescence-Guided Neurosurgery ◽

10.1055/b-0038-164189 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Indocyanine Green ◽

Aminolevulinic Acid ◽

Green Fluorescence ◽

Intramedullary Tumors ◽

Indocyanine Green Fluorescence

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Application of multishot diffusion tensor imaging in spinal cord tumors

Brain Science Advances ◽

10.1177/2096595819896176 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 59-64

Author(s):

Jiefei Li ◽

Le He ◽

Yuqi Zhang

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Preoperative Imaging ◽

Spinal Cord Tumors ◽

Intramedullary Tumors ◽

Routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Dti

Objective: To explore the usefulness of multishot diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for evaluating the neurological function of patients with spinal cord tumors Methods: Routine magnetic resonance imaging and multishot DTI were performed in five patients with spinal cord tumors. The values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) were analyzed. Results: Multishot DTI of spinal cord tumors allowed for defining the margins of tumors and determining the relationship of tumors with the adjacent white matter structures of the spinal cord. Multishot DTI demonstrated significantly increased RD and decreased FA of spinal cord tumors compared with those of the normal spinal cord. Conclusions: Multishot DTI is a potentially useful modality for differentiating resectable tumors from nonresectable ones based on preoperative imaging alone as well as for differentiating intramedullary tumors from extramedullary ones. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these results.

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