MRI diagnosis and preoperative evaluation for pure epidural cavernous hemangiomas

The aims of the study were to summarize the characteristics of the spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma, especially for the MRI, and to improve the accurate rate of the preoperative diagnosis. The clinical and medical imaging data of six patients with pure spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma proved by operation and pathology were analyzed retrospectively. The level was thoracic (n = 2), thoracolumbar (n = 1), lumbar (n = 1), and sacral (n = 2). The tumor showed lobulated contour, and the areas the tumors appeared were dorsal side of spinal cord (n = 2), ventral side (n = 1), and lateral side (n = 3). In all six patients, the lesions were isointense to the spinal cord on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images and showed homogeneously strong enhancement on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. The characteristic MRI features were named as the ''wafting-silk'' sign. Widening of the intervertebral neural foramen (n = 4) and erosion of the adjacent bones (n = 3) can be observed. MRI of the epidural cavernous hemangioma showed the characteristic lobulated contour, which encircled the spinal cord. T1WI on the MRI presented as isointense and T2WI presented as hyperintense and a homogeneously strong enhancement, so we first proposed the sign of wafting silk. The widening of the intervertebral neural foramen and erosion of the adjacent bones can easily be observed. MR imaging has an important role in the detection and diagnosis of pure spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma. (orig.)