value of MR imaging in diagnosis of cranio-spinal leptomeningeal carcinomatosis

ABSTRACT

Post-contrast MR is considered to be a greatly sensitive noninvasive method for detection of different patterns and subtle findings of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, with or without parenchymal involvement and due to the inherent advantages of such modality it can cover the full extent of the meningeal lesions in continuity along wide segments of the spinal and/or the cranium. This has its useful impact on the management, where rapid diagnosis and treatment can be established even when no malignant cells are detected in the CS fluid, and in some cases MR can guide the surgical biopsy towards the area involved