Metastatic epidural compression of the spinal cord is a significant source of morbidity in patients with systemic cancer. With improvment of oncotheray, survival period in the patients is improving and metastatic cord compression is en- countered increasingly often. Surgical management performed for early circumferential decompression for the spinal cord com- pression with spine instability, and spine reconstruction performed. Patients with radiosensitive tumours without spine instabili- ty, radiotherapy is an effective therapy. Spinal stereotactic radiosurgery and minimally invasive techniques, such as vertebro- plasty and kyphoplasty, percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, radiofrequency ablation are promising options for treatment of cer- tain selected patients with spinal metastases.
Decompression, Surgical ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Spinal Cord Compression ; therapy ; Spinal Neoplasms ; secondary ; therapy

Humans ; Ependymoma/secondary* ; Brain Neoplasms/pathology* ; Skin Neoplasms ; Melanoma ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms/pathology*

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies reported in Korean adult males. Hepatocellular carcinoma usually spreads to regional lymph nodes around porta hepatis via lymphatics and to distant metastasis via hematogenous spread. The lung is most common distant metastatic site, followed by the adrenal glands, local lymph nodes and bones. But metastasis to the spinal cord of hepatocellular carcinoma is very rare. Recently we experienced a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma who had suffered from lower leg weakness for 10 days. The patient was proved to have hepatocellular carcinoma with metastasis to the spinal cord. MRI showed an ovoid intracordal mass between the twelfth thoracic and first lumbar vertebra level. After emergency irradiation, the patient could recover.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*secondary ; English Abstract ; Human ; Liver Neoplasms/*pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms/diagnosis/*secondary

A 50-year-old male patient with right frontal oligodendroglioma underwent subtotal resection on three separate occasions and, 10 months later, exhibited right frontal oligodendroglioma and extracranial metastasis. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated the existence of an enhancing mass lesion with evidence of posterior epidural compression at the10th-11th thoracic level, not involving the vertebrae. A bone scan of the spine appeared normal, but showed evidence of hot uptake in the pelvis and femur. This report concerns a patient who developed a fatal and clinically unexplained, pancytopenia 3 months after the removal of a spinal epidural oligodendroglioma. Oligodendroglioma with metastasis outside the central nervous system is extremely rare, and only a few cases have previously been reported. A brief review of the literature with an emphasis on the mechanisms of tumor cell dissemination is presented.
Brain Neoplasms/*pathology ; Epidural Space ; Human ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligodendroglioma/*secondary ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms/*secondary

Bone metastasis from a spinal cord astrocytoma has been reported only twice in the English medical literature. It is generally known that bone metastasis is found after the initial diagnosis with/without intervening surgery rather than being found at the time of the diagnosis of astrocytoma. The purpose of this article is to report for the first time a case of concurrent bone metastasis from a spinal cord astrocytoma at the time of diagnosing the spinal cord astrocytoma.
Astrocytoma/diagnosis/*secondary ; Humans ; *Lumbar Vertebrae ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms/diagnosis/*pathology ; Spinal Neoplasms/diagnosis/*secondary ; *Thoracic Vertebrae

The spine is the most common site of bone metastases from malignant tumors, with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression occurring in about 10% of patients with spinal metastases. Palliative radiotherapy and simple laminectomy and decompression have been the main treatments for metastatic spinal cord compression. The former is ineffective and delayed for radiation-insensitive tumors, and the latter often impairs spinal stability. With the continuous improvement of surgical techniques and instrumentation in recent years, the treatment model of spinal metastases has changed a lot. Decompression surgery underwent open decompression, separation surgery, minimally invasive surgery and laser interintermal thermal ablation decompression. However, no matter what kind of surgical plan is adopted, it should be assessed precisely according to the specific situation of the patient to minimize the risk of surgery as far as possible to ensure the smooth follow-up radiotherapy. This paper reviews the research progress of decompression for spinal metastases.
Humans ; Spinal Cord Compression/surgery* ; Spinal Neoplasms/secondary* ; Decompression, Surgical/methods* ; Spine/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship of motor dysfunction of the lower extremities with the imaging appearances and clinical features of metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCCs).

METHODSFrom July 2006 to December 2007, 26 successive patients with metastases of the thoracic, lumbar and the cervical spine were treated in our department. Forty-three main involved vertebra in all 26 patients were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, and were scored according motor dysfunction in this study. Fourteen patients (25 vertebrae) had motor dysfunction.

RESULTSAmong 26 patients, 12 cases with visceral metastasis,in which had motor dysfunction in 10 cases; 14 cases without visceral metastasis, in which had motor dysfunction in 4 cases; comparison between two groups, P=0.0079. Among vertebral presence of continuity of 43 main involved vertebrae, 16 vertebrae had motor dysfunction;among vertebral absence of continuity, motor dysfunction occurred in 9 vertebrae, comparison between two groups, P=0.1034. Among vertebral presence of lamina involvement of 43 main involved vertebrae, 11 vertebrae had motor dysfunction; among vertebral absence of lamina involvement, motor dysfunction occurred in 14 vertebrae, comparison between two groups, P=0.020 5. Among vertebral presence of protruding of vertebral posterior wall of 43 main involved vertebrae, 12 vertebrae had motor dysfunction; among vertebral absence of protruding of vertebral posterior wall, 13 vertebrae had motor dysfunction, comparison between two groups, P=0.0334. Among vertebral presence of involvement epidural space of 43 main involved vertebrae, 11 vertebrae had motor dysfunction; among vertebral absence of involvement epidural space, 14 vertebrae had motor dysfunction, comparison between two groups, P=0.003 6. Such factors as age, gender, whether or not received regular chem before admission, back pain degree of metastasis, received regular chem before admission, therapeutic efficacy of primary tumor, number of bony metastases outside spine, number of the main involved vertebrae, level of vertebral metastases location, level of continuous involved vertebrae, vertebral-body involvement, fracture of anterior column, fracture of posterior wall, and pedicle involvement had no effects on incidence of motor dysfunction due to MESCC (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONMESCC with visceral metastases, lamina involvement, presence of outstanding buttocks sign of posterior wall,involvement epidural space tended to cause symptomatic MESCC. Incidence of continuity of main involved vertebrae occurred more frequently in the CUTS compared with other levels of spine.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Movement Disorders ; etiology ; Radiography ; Spinal Cord Compression ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Spinal Neoplasms ; complications ; secondary

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the risk factors and prognosis of surgery for spinal metastasis.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed in 63 patients with spinal metastasis who underwent surgical treatment between June 1992 and June 2002. Forty-one patients underwent anterior en-bloc or partial resection, decompression and reconstruction with internal fixation of the spine. Laminectomy and decompression with internal fixation were done in 8 patients. One-stage anterior-posterior en-bloc resection and decompression followed by reconstructive stabilization were done in 14 patients.

RESULTSHaving been followed up more than 6 months, postoperative radiological evaluation revealed that spinal stabilization was evident in all patients. Fifty-seven (91.9%) patients benefited with quality of life significantly improved through pain alleviation, 41 (66.1%) patients improved in their neurological status. No serious complications were observed in surgery. The mean survival time after surgery was 6 months in patients with lung and liver carcinoma, 15 months in breast, prostatic, and stomach carcinoma as well as the other miscellaneous malignancies and 28 months in thyroid, kidney carcinoma among which groups the difference were significant (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSurgical treatment for spinal metastasis is able to relieve neurological symptoms and improve the quality of life. The survival time is related to the site of primary tumor; shorter survival in lung and liver carcinoma, longer in breast, prostatic, stomach carcinoma and longest in thyroid and kidney carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Cord ; surgery ; Spinal Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the magnetic resonance (MR) features of meningeal carcinomatosis, and to improve the ability in understanding and diagnosing meningeal carcinomatosis by MR findings.

METHODSEleven cases with proven meningeal carcinomatosis were studied by conventional and Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging. The enhancement patterns and features, as well as the types of meningeal involvement, were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSConventional MR imaging showed no evident meningeal abnormalities. After the administration of Gd-DTPA, abnormal pia mater enhancement was detected in 9 cases, demonstrating as the continuous, thin, and lineal high signal intensity on the brain surface that could descend into the sulci. The abnormal pial enhancement occurred on the cortical surfaces of cerebellum, brainstem, and cerebrum. No abnormal enhancement in the subarachnoid space was found. Abnormal dura-arachnoid enhancement was seen in 3 cases, showing as the continuous, thick, and curvilineal high signal intensity over the convexities or in the tentorium without extension into the cortical sulci. Cerebral dura-arachnoid involvement was found in all 3 cases and one of them also showed abnormal enhancement in cerebellar dura-arachnoid and tentorium. Of the 11 cases, 9 with pial involvement had abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results, 2 involving only the dura-arachnoid had normal CSF results.

CONCLUSIONMeningeal carcinomatosis could be well demonstrated by Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging, and its type could be differentiated by the enhancement features. Combined with the clinical information, Gd-enhanced MR imaging may lead to the diagnosis and guide the therapy of meningeal carcinomatosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Child ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; secondary ; Middle Aged ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; secondary

Brown tumors also called as osteoclastomas, are rare nonneoplastic lesions that arise in the setting of primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid adenomas or hyperplasia constitute the major Brown tumor source in primary hyperparathyroidism while chronic renal failure is the leading cause in secondary hyperparathyroidism. Most of the patients with the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism present with kidney stones or isolated hypercalcemia. However, nearly one third of patients are asymptomatic and hypercalcemia is found incidentally. Skeletal involvement such as generalized osteopenia, bone resorption, bone cysts and Brown tumors are seen on the late phase of hyperparathyroidism. The symptoms include axial pain, radiculopathy, myelopathy and myeloradiculopathy according to their locations. Plasmocytoma, lymphoma, giant cell tumors and metastates should be ruled out in the differential diagnosis of Brown tumors. Treatment of Brown tumors involve both the management of hyperparathyroidism and neural decompression. The authors report a very rare spinal Brown tumor case, arisen as the initial manifestation of primary hyperparathyroidism that leads to acute paraparesis.
Bone Cysts ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Bone Resorption ; Decompression ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Hyperparathyroidism ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary* ; Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary ; Hyperplasia ; Kidney Calculi ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Lymphoma ; Paraparesis ; Parathyroid Neoplasms ; Plasmacytoma ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine*