The clinical characteristics and histological type of intradural extramedullary tumors: analysis of 167 cases

English Keywords:Intradural extramedullary tumors  Features  Histological type

English Abstract:

  【Abstract】 Objectives: To summarize the histological type and clinical characteristics of intradural extramedullary tumors. Methods: To retrospectively analyze the general conditions, MRI images and pathological diagnosis of 167 patients diagnosed with intradural extramedullary tumors. Results: The average age of patients with intradural extramedullary tumors was 49.5 years old, and the ratio of female/male was 1.17∶1. Among the patients with schwannomas, the ratio of male/female was 1.14∶1. Among the patients with spinal meningiomas, the ratio of female/male was 5.80∶1. Among the 167 patients with intradural extramedullary tumors, pain occurred in 75.6% patients, numbness and/or tingling occurred in 40.1% patients, weakness and/or paralysis occurred in 34.9% patients, and urinary and fecal incontinence occurred in 4.4% patients. 120 patients were diagnosed with schwannomas, and 34 patients were diagnosed with spinal meningiomas. The mean age of patients with schwannomas was 47.3±1.3y, and was 57.5±2.6y with spinal meningiomas(P<0.001). The majority of schwannomas located near thoracic-lumbar spinal canal(47.9%). The majority of spinal meningiomas located in thoracic spinal canal(35.3%). The ratio of radiating pain in schwannomas and spinal meningiomas were 67.5% and 35.3% respectively(P=0.001), which were 28.2% and 76.5% of sensory disturbance(P<0.001), and 25.6% and 73.5% of movement disorders(P<0.001). There were no statistical difference between the volume of schwannomas and spinal meningiomas(P>0.05). However, in the analysis of subgroup of tumor volume less than 10cm3, schwannomaswere larger than spinal meningiomas(3.5±2.2cm3 vs 2.3±1.8cm3, P=0.005). Conclusions: The majority of intradural extramedullary tumors were schwannomas and spinal meningiomas. The mean age of patients with schwannomaswas larger than that with spinal meningiomas. The majority of schwannomas were located near thoracic-lumbar junction spinal canal, and the majority of spinal meningiomaswere located in thoracic spinal canal. The symptom of schwannomas was radiating pain, and the symptom of spinal meningiomas were sensory disturbance and movement disorders.