Spinal Tumors
A 35-year-old man presents with 2 years of progressive weakness in both hands with difficulty manipulating buttons and keys. He reports a burning sensation in his forearms and hands that is worse at night. He denies back pain or leg symptoms. Examination reveals bilateral intrinsic hand weakness, loss of pain and temperature sensation in a cape-like distribution over his shoulders and arms (C5-T1), but preserved proprioception and vibration sense. MRI of the cervical spine shows a central spinal cord expansion from C3 to C7 with heterogeneous enhancement and an associated syrinx. Regarding intramedullary spinal cord tumors:
Mark each as TRUE or FALSE
Intramedullary tumors (IMTs) account for approximately 20-25% of spinal cord tumors in adults; the t...
The dissociated sensory loss pattern (loss of pain/temperature with preserved proprioception/vibrati...
Intramedullary tumors typically present with acute onset of symptoms; back pain is the most common p...
MRI with gadolinium is the gold standard imaging modality; ependymomas typically appear as well-dema...
Associated syringomyelia is common with IMTs (50-60% of cases) and typically presents as a non-enhan...
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Click T (True) or F (False) for each option