MR findings of rare spinal epidural mass

Objective: To evaluate MR features of rare spinal epidural mass. Methods: Seven patients with rare spinal epidural masses confirmed by pathologic examination were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Spinal epidural abscess presented as a multilocular mass with low to intermediate signal intensity on T1WI, high signal intensity on T2WI and hypointense septa. Vertebral chordoma showed characteristic homogeneous slightly low T1 and high T2 signal intensities with honeycomb sign on T2WI. Chordoma of non-osseous origin presented as elliptical spinal epidural mass with homogeneous slightly low Tl and high T2 signal intensities. Intraspinal granulocytic sarcoma presented as contrast-enhancing long stripes of low to intermediate T1 and heterogeneously high T2 signal intensities intermixed with epidural fat. Hemangiopericytoma was seen as an irregular T1 and isointensities and homogeneous contrast enhancement. Cystic ganglioneuroma presented as a grape-like multicystic mass with homogeneous low T1 and high T2 signal intensities as well as slightly hypointense septa. Conclusion: MRI has value in demonstrating the epidural location of the masses and is helpful in the differential diagnosis of rare diseases. (authors)