Magnetic resonance imaging of intramedullary spinal cord tumors

The advent of MRI has significantly changed the diagnosis of spinal cord tu mors. Standard imaging provides excellent localization and characterization of the tumor in a noninvasive fashion. Exact histologic diagnosis of the t wo most common tumors, ependymoma and astrocytoma, remains elusive but ther e are some suggestive imaging characteristics. It is hoped that some of the newer MR imaging sequences will improve characterization of the tumor and thereby influence therapy. Several of these pulse sequences are already use d routinely in brain imaging. Evaluation of new imaging sequences in the sp ine has lagged behind brain MR imaging, mainly due to technical factors. Wo rk on animal spine models and extrapolation from brain imaging studies sugg est that it is only a matter of time before some of these techniques become clinically relevant.