Predictive value of heterogeneously enhanced MRI findings with CT evidence of calcification for severe motor deficits in spinal meningioma

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Spinal meningioma is mostly benign, but they can exhibit neurological deficit. The relationship between neurological impairment and its radiographic findings, including intratumor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) gadolinium enhancement and calcification in computed tomography (CT) scan, has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of preoperative image findings with neurological status in spinal meningioma. METHODS: Patients histologically diagnosed with spinal meningioma (n = 24), with an average age of 65.4 years, were included. The patients were classified into 2 groups, the homogeneous and heterogeneous groups, based on the contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI findings. Further, baseline demographics (age, sex, presence of preoperative paralysis [manual muscle testing 3 or worse neurological deficit in upper and/or lower limbs], tumor level, tumor length, and tumor occupation ratio), histological findings (Ki-67 index and histological subtypes), and CT findings (presence of intratumor calcification and Hounsfield unit [HU] value) were examined. RESULTS: Preoperative paralysis was observed in 33.3% (8 of 24) of the patients. These patients exhibited frequent heterogeneous contrast-enhanced MRI findings than those without preoperative paralysis (57.1% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.040). Further, preoperative paralysis did not associate with tumor level, tumor length, tumor-occupied ratio, Ki-67 index, and histological subtypes. The heterogeneous group showed 100% intratumor calcification and higher maximum HU than the homogeneous group (1, 109.8 vs. 379.2, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The heterogeneous contrast-induced MRI findings in the spinal meningioma were significantly associated with preoperative neurological impairment. Moreover, the intratumor contrast-deficient region in the heterogeneously enhanced tumors reflected marked calcification. The tumor hardness due to calcification may be related to preoperative neurological deficit.