OBJECTIVETo investigate CT and MRI characteristics of primary spinal large B cell lymphoma.

METHODSCT and MRI data of 23 patients with primary spinal large B cell lymphoma confirmed by histopathology were retrospectively analyzed from March 2011 to August 2015. Among them, including 14 males and 9 females aged from 28 to 70 years old with an average of 53.4 years old. The clinical manifestation mainly focus on pain around spinal and minority peripheral nerve symptom. The courses of disease ranged from 2 weeks to 3 months with an average of 9 weeks. Nine patients underwent CT plain scan, 8 patients underwent plain and enhanced CT; 21 patients underwent MRI plain scan and enhanced; 15 patients underwent CT and MRI examination. The location, bone changes, shape, density, signal intensity and enhancement characteristics of lesions were observed and compared with pathology.

RESULTSLocation and size of lesion showed cervical vertebrae in 1 case, thoracic vertebrae in 16 cases, lumbar vertebrae in 2 cases, and sacral vertebrae in 4 cases. Mass was larger, the largest cross-sectional size of group was up to 73 mm× 125 mm. CT examination showed that 11 cases with "cloud and mist" shape change, 6 cases with compression fractures, and with "floating ice" shape change, 9 cases with "oversleeve" shape change, 11 cases with spinal stenosis; enhancement scan showed obvious reinforcement. MRI showed slightly low signal on T1WI and T2WI were slightly high signal, and signal was uneven, and enhancement scan showed obvious reinforcement, 13 of 16 cases with spinal canal stenosis changed like "oversleeve", intervertebral space showed no significant stenosis. Comparison of CT and MRI showed the manifestation of bone destruction by CT was superior than that of MRI, but the range of lesion, and related surrounding structures were not better than MRI. MRI displayed the range of lesion usually bigger than CT. Pathology results showed that 23 patients were all primary spinal large B cell lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONSPrimary spinal large B cell lymphoma has certain features in age, location and imaging findings. The "cloud and mist", "floating ice" and "oversleeve" shape bony destruction by CT and MRI has certain significance to diagnosis of primary spinal large B cell lymphoma.