Intramedullary disease of the spine: Diagnosis using gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging Journal Article


Authors: Sze, G.; Krol, G.; Zimmerman, R. D.; Deck, M. D. F.
Article Title: Intramedullary disease of the spine: Diagnosis using gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging
Abstract: Twenty-six patients with suspected lesions of the spinal cord were studied before and after administration of gadolinium-DTPA to assess whether contrast enhancement was useful in the MR evaluation of intramedullary disease. Nine patients had primary tumors, six had benign syringes, three had multiple sclerosis with cord involvement, three had thrombosed vascular malformations, three had probable intramedullary metastasis, and two were normal. Although all lesions were detected on noncontrast MR scans, gadolinium-DTPA was of great help in their delination and characterization. Specifically, contrast material may be able (1) to localize tumor nidus and separate it from edema, in cases of hemangioblastomas and metastases; (2) to suggest regions of more active tumors, in cases of glioma, for surgical biopsy or removal; (3) to differentiate benign or reactive processes from neoplastic lesions, such as reactive cyst from tumor cyst or hematoma due to thrombosed malformation from tumor hemorrhage; and (4) possibly to differentiate active from inactive lesions, for example, in multiple sclerosis. Because of these advantages, gadolinium-DTPA probably will often be used routinely when intramedullary lesions are detected on noncontrast MR scans.
Keywords: adult; clinical article; nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; metastasis; contrast enhancement; thrombosis; gadolinium pentetate; hemangioblastoma; spinal cord lesion; intravenous drug administration; computer analysis; arteriovenous malformation; human; male; female; priority journal
Journal Title: American Journal of Roentgenology
Volume: 151
Issue: 6
ISSN: 0361-803X
Publisher: American Roentgen Ray Society  
Date Published: 1988-12-01
Start Page: 1193
End Page: 1204
Language: English
DOI: 10.2214/ajr.151.6.1193
PUBMED: 3263773
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 6 August 2020 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. George Krol
    86 Krol
  2. Michael D F Deck
    13 Deck
  3. Gordon Sze
    36 Sze