Diagnosis and treatment of intramedullary hemangioblastoma of cervical spinal cord

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnosis and surgical techniques of intramedullary hemangioblastoma of the cervical spinal cord. METHODS: MR imaging and the methods and results of surgery were analyzed in 21 patients. RESULTS: The tumors were divided into three types on MR imaging. Syringeal type, where the tumor varied in size and was accompanied by syringobulbia and syringomyelia; Cystic type, where the tumor presented as a cyst with a small mural node; and Solid type, where the tumor was revealed as a huge solid mass. All tumors were totally removed and diagnosis was confirmed by histological study. Post-operative neurological status was improved in 20 patients and aggravated in 1. CONCLUSIONS: The localization and the nature diagnosis of the tumor can be made by cervical MR imaging. Operative methods vary with tumor types. It is the most important that the tumor is dissected along the right interface and removed after devascularization.