Gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging in the diagnosis of spinal epidural haematoma

Abstract

A case of spinal epidural haematoma diagnosed by means of Gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging is described. The sensitivity of this recent technique is underlined.

Spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma with incomplete Brown-Sequard Syndrome

“…Old hematoma (more than 21 days) shows, in contrast, high signal intensity on the T2W1 and mixed (low and iso-) signal intensity on T1W1 (18). On T1-weighted post-contrast images, peripheral contrast enhancement due to adjacent dural hyperemia may be seen (4,28). The T1 and T2 signals of SCEH vary based on the clot, age, size and oxygenation (14).…”

Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematomas: Case Series with Review of Literature

“…Gundry and Heithoff (10) in a series of 18 surgically confirmed cases of lumbar EDH, described the signal characteristics of spinal EDH after an average of 169 days on T2WI but did not discuss T1-weighted imaging signal characteristics. Subacute and chronic spinal EDH have usually been described as hyperintense (1,11,12,30,31,34,35,36,37) , and less often as isointense (1,31,34) , to the spinal cord on T1-weighted images. In a series of three cases of spontaneous spinal EDH within 48 and 72 hours, Rothfus et al (31) described the MR signal characteristics.…”

Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma in an 11-Month-Old Girl

“…In the workup of suspected SSEH, MRI has been shown to be a rapid and sensitive method for diagnosis, localization, and relationship of the hematoma to the spinal cord [17]. It can be used to date the hematoma and can assess the degree of embarrassment of the cord.…”