Case of the Week
Section Editors: Matylda Machnowska1 and Anvita Pauranik2
1University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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November 29, 2010
Cellular Ependymoma—Cervical Cord
- Cellular ependymoma is the most common intramedullary subtype of cord ependymomas. Other subtypes are myxopapillary, clear-cell, and tancytic.
- Cellular ependymoma is most commonly seen in the cervical cord.
- It is the most common primary spinal cord tumor in adults and the second most common primary spinal cord tumor in children.
- Deletions and translocations of chromosome 22 are seen with these tumors and, therefore, the association with NF2.
- Key Diagnostic Features: Multisegmental, expansile, cystic lesion is seen. Hemosiderin is often seen at the cranial or caudal margin, recognized as the "cap sign". Variable degree of enhancement is seen on the post-contrast sequences.
- DDx: Astrocytoma, Hemangioblastoma
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