MRI Features of Spinal Epidural Angiolipomas.
10.3348/kjr.2013.14.5.810
- Author:
Su HU
1
;
Chun Hong HU
;
Xiao Yun HU
;
Xi Ming WANG
;
Hui DAI
;
Xiang Ming FANG
;
Lei CUI
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu 215006, China. hch5305@163.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Epidural neoplasms;
Spinal canal;
Blood vessels;
Lipoma;
Magnetic resonance imaging
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Angiolipoma/*diagnosis/surgery;
Diagnosis, Differential;
Epidural Neoplasms/*diagnosis/surgery;
Female;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Laminectomy/methods;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Retrospective Studies;
Thoracic Vertebrae;
Young Adult
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology
2013;14(5):810-817
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To describe the MRI findings in ten patients of spinal epidural angiolipoma for differentiated diagnosis presurgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten surgically proved cases of spinal epidural angiolipomas were retrospectively reviewed, and the lesion was classified according to the MR findings. RESULTS: Ten tumors were located in the superior (n = 4), middle (n = 2), or inferior (n = 4) thoracic level. The mass, with the spindle shape, was located in the posterior epidural space and extended parallel to the long axis of the spine. All lesions contained a fat and vascular element. The vascular content, correlating with the presence of hypointense regions on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and hyperintense signals on T2-weighted imaging, had marked enhancement. However, there were no flow void signs on MR images. All tumors were divided into two types based on the MR features. In type 1 (n = 3), the mass was predominantly composed of lipomatous tissue (> 50%) and contained only a few small angiomatous regions, which had a trabeculated or mottled appear. In type 2 (n = 7), the mass, however, was predominantly composed of vascular components (> 50%), which presented as large foci in the center of the mass. CONCLUSION: Most spinal epidural angiolipomas exhibit hyperintensity on T1WI while the hypointense region on the noncontrast T1WI indicates to be vascular, which manifests an obvious enhancement with gadolinium administration.
