Clinical Characteristics and Surgical Results of Spinal Intradural Tumor

†† Study Design: A retrospective study about spinal intradural tumor. Objectives: We analyzed clinical symptom, findings of MRI, and surgical outcome of spinal intradural tumor. Summary of Literature Review: Intradural tumors are not commonly reported and they show non-specific clinical features. Materials and Methods: In this study, 18 patients who underwent surgical treatment and radiologically and pathologically diagnosed as spinal intradural tumor from 1997 to 2009 were reviewed. We evaluated pain, neurological symptoms, location of tumor as well as degrees of signal intensity and its enhancement of MRI(T1 and T2). And clinical outcomes were analyzed according to Klekamp-Samii scoring system and Visual Analogue Scale(VAS). Results: All patients were clinically suffered from back pain and radiating pain of lower extremity including 3 patients with neurological symptoms. We radiologically found single tumor in 16 cases and masses more than two lesion in 2 cases. 1 case was located on cord level(T7), 14 cases cauda equine level, and 3 cases sacral level. We performed laminectomy in 18 cases and posterior instrumentation was applied to 8 cases. In clinical features, mean Klekamp-Samii score was improved from 21.6 to 23.5(p<0.05) and VAS was recovered from 5.2 to 3.0 (p<0.05). Conclusions: Spinal intradural tumor has non-specific clinical symptoms. Therefore we should perform MRI to find intradural tumor and active management including surgical treatment should be performed due to clinically good results.