What is the difference between an extramedullary and intramedullary tumor?

What is the difference between an extramedullary and intramedullary tumor?

Intradural: Lesions located within or under the dura mater of the meninges. Intramedullary: Intradural lesions arising within the substance of the spinal cord, within the tracts and central gray matter. Extramedullary: Lesions arising outside of the spinal cord in the meninges, nerve roots, or vertebral bodies.

What is an intradural extramedullary tumor?

Intradural extramedullary (IDEM) tumors are generally benign neoplasms arising in the spinal canal, accounting for about two-thirds of primary spinal tumors and 15% of tumors affecting the Central Nervous System (1–3).

What is intramedullary tumor?

Intramedullary tumors are growths that develop in the supporting (glial) cells within the spinal cord. A spinal tumor is a growth that develops within your spinal canal or within the bones of your spine.

What does extramedullary mean?

Extramedullary disease (EMD) occurs when myeloma cells form tumors outside the bone marrow in the soft tissues or organs of the body. While myeloma resides mainly within the bone marrow, EMD can be present at the time of initial diagnosis or at the time of disease relapse following treatment-induced remission.

Which is the mainly intramedullary tumor?

Ependymomas and astrocytomas are the most commonly encountered intramedullary spinal cord tumors, followed by hemangioblastomas.

Are spinal tumors always cancerous?

Spinal tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Primary tumors originate in the spine or spinal cord, and metastatic or secondary tumors result from cancer spreading from another site to the spine.

What is the difference between intradural and Extradural?

Extradural lesions are located outside of the surrounding dural sac; they are often related to lesions of the intervertebral disc or the spinal column. Intradural lesions occur within the dural sac and are further classified as either intradural intramedullary or intradural extramedullary lesions.

What does the term intradural mean?

Medical Definition of intradural : situated, occurring, or performed within or between the membranes of the dura mater an intradural tumor.

Can tumors on the spine be removed?

Primary (non-metastatic) spinal tumors may be removed through complete en bloc resection for a possible cure. In patients with metastatic tumors, treatment is primarily palliative, with the goal of restoring or preserving neurological function, stabilizing the spine and alleviating pain.

What is intramedullary ependymoma?

Intramedullary ependymomas are tumors best treated surgically. A complete resection indicates cure for the overwhelming majority of these patients. Surgery should be performed early by neurosurgeons who deal with these lesions on a regular basis to achieve high GTR rates.

What causes intradural extramedullary tumor?

Intradural extramedullary tumors are located inside the dura, but outside of the spinal cord. They might develop from nerve roots or from the inside surface of the dura mater. Meningiomas and nerve sheath tumors make up the majority of intradural extramedullary tumors. Both kinds of tumors are usually benign.

What percentage of spinal tumors are cancerous?

Primary spinal cord tumors — tumors that originate in the spine rather than spread to the spine from elsewhere in the body — are usually benign. They are so rare that they account for only a half of one percent of all newly diagnosed tumors. Malignant primary tumors of the spinal cord are even less common.

Can a tumor on the spine be removed?

Depending on the type of spine tumor, the tumor’s location, and your medical condition, treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or surgical removal of the tumor.

Where is intradural extramedullary?

Intradural extramedullary tumors are located inside the dura, but outside of the spinal cord. They might develop from nerve roots or from the inside surface of the dura mater. Meningiomas and nerve sheath tumors make up the majority of intradural extramedullary tumors.

What causes intradural tumor?

Potential causes Most tumors involve abnormalities in genes that control the cell cycle (when cells grow, divide and die). These abnormalities cause uncontrolled cell growth. Other than exposure to radiation or certain chemicals, there are no known lifestyle-related or environmental causes of intradural tumors.

How quickly do spinal tumors grow?

Tumors that have spread to the spine from another site often progress quickly. Primary tumors often progress slowly over weeks to years. Tumors in the spinal cord usually cause symptoms, sometimes over large portions of the body. Tumors outside the spinal cord may grow for a long time before causing nerve damage.

Is ependymoma benign or malignant?

Childhood ependymoma is a rare, malignant type of brain tumor that most often occurs in young children. Ependymomas originate from radial glial cells, which are a type of normal cell within the brain. A tumor begins when healthy cells change and grow out of control, forming a mass.

What is a intramedullary lesion?

Intramedullary intradural lesions are within the substance of the cord. Extramedullary lesions are located within the dural sac but exterior to the spinal cord.

Can a tumor in the spine be removed?

What are intradural extramedullary neoplasms?

Intradural extramedullary neoplasms are located outside the spinal cord but within the dural sheath. The majority (70-80%) of spinal canal tumors are intradural extramedullary 1. Patients present with signs and symptoms of spinal cord or nerve root compression.

What are the treatment options for intradural extramedullary spinal tumors?

Intradural Extramedullary and Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors 1 • Surgery is the initial and primary treatment of choice in most spinal tumors. 2 • Intradural extramedullary spinal tumors, mostly benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors… 3 • The main objective should be preserving the patient’s functional condition…

What is the prognosis of intramedullary spinal tumors?

• Many intramedullary spinal tumors, such as ependymomas, astrocytomas, and some of nonglial origin, have a favorable prognosis because they may be completely resected based on the favorable surgical plane between the tumor and spinal cord. – As soon as patients are symptomatic surgery should be considered.

What is the most common extramedullary neoplasm?

Schwannomas are the most common intradural extramedullary spinal lesions (30% cases), followed by meningiomas (25% cases) 2. In the pediatric population, the most common intradural extramedullary neoplasms are leptomeningeal metastases resulting from primary brain tumours.