VALUE OF MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN TH E DIAGNOSIS OF SPINAL-CORD HEMANGIOBLASTOMA - 12 CASES

This study concerned a series of 12 patients, 4 of whom had Von hippel -Lindau disease. Six of these patients were explored by myelography, 6 by spinal cord angiography, 8 by CT scan with contrast injection and 12 by MRI, with gadolinium injection in 8. MRI proved to be the choice examination for the diagnosis of spinal cord tumor, but gadolinium in jection was necessary since it made it possible to detect the tumoral bud and its intense enchancement. Tha absence of gadolinium injection led us to an erroneous initial diagnosis of syringomyelia in two patie nts and glioma in one. Sagittal sections made it easier to evaluate th e tumoral extension in patients with evidence or suspicion of Von Hipp el-Lindau disease. Arteriography was indicated, as it provided a preop erative map and diagnosed punctiform lesions.