MRI evaluation of the extradural spinal neoplasm

Thirty-one patients with extradural spinal neoplasms were examined by MRI. There were 12 metastases. Four patients had primary spinal tumours, 2 patients had multiple myeloma, 7 patients had lymphoma and 6 had leukemia. 16 patients had bulging, disease vertebral bodies compressing the subarachnoid space and 17 patients had extradural tuours compressing the spinal cord. 21 patients had paravertebral involvement. All patients were examined by MRI in both T1 and T2 weighted images. In no case, the MRI was not able to detect and evaluate a clinically suspected extradural neoplastic compression of the spinal cord. It is concluded that MRI is an important non-invasive diagnostic method which is very sensitive in detecting this type of pathology