Weekly Image Challenge – June 11, 2022

What is the most likely diagnosis for this 35 years old patient who had presented with quadriparesis and myelopathy?

  1. Astrocytoma
  2. Meningioma
  3. Schwannoma
  4. Ependymoma
  5. Osteosarcoma

Answer

Congratulations to all who guessed Meningioma. Spinal meningioma is intradural, extramedullary, homogenously enhancing lesions that cause symptoms by compressing the spinal cord.

Schwannoma can be purely intradural, both intra and extradural, and purely extradural, as they arise from the Schwann cells around the spinal nerves.

Astrocytoma and ependymoma are intramedullary lesions.

Osteosarcoma of the spine are extradural lesions arising from the bone and may cause compression on the structures in the vertebral canal.