PMC5569394_01
T2 MRIs of spinal tumor. (a) T3-T4 level shows a left-displaced spinal cord, due to an intradural lesion. No dural tail enhancement was observed. (b) Fourteen months after surgery: Normal spinal cord realignment and no enhancement with contrast medium
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F1
A magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the thoracic spine demonstrated a 3 x 1.4 x 1.5cm lesion compressing the spinal cord at the T3-T4 level [Figure 1a]. The follow-up contrast enhanced MRI was normal, and there was no residual/recurrent tumor at the T3-T4 level [Figure 1b].
Intraoperative photograph shows the intradural (reddish) tumor, which displaced the spinal cord to the left
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F2
Upon opening the dura, a reddish encapsulated tumor was observed [Figure 2].
Intraoperative photograph with magnification shows tumor attachment. The forceps tumor lift a residual fragment, which shows firm attachment (black arrow) to the lateral aspect of a spinal nerve, resembling a schwannoma. The adherent fragment was coagulated but not excised
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F3
Progressive debulking of the lesion showed no dural attachment, but firm adhesion of the lesion to the lateral aspect of a spinal nerve; the tumor resembled a schwannoma [Figure 3].
Micrograph of a hematoxylin and eosin-stained tumor specimen (200x) shows moderate cellularity. Meningothelial cells are arranged in small nests and cords. Numerous small blood vessels show marked hyalinization
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F4
Cells were arranged in cords and small nests, and they appeared to grow around/intermingled with numerous blood vessels [Figure 4] that were of variable calibre.