Intramedullary lesion

Principle and interpretation

Causes include tumor, inflammation, ischemia or a fluid cavity. The term identifies location, does not automatically mean cancer and does not refer to vertebral bone marrow.

Indications, limitations and precautions

MRI sequences, possible enhancement and evolution guide differential diagnosis. Progressive weakness, gait change or sphincter dysfunction warrants prompt neurological assessment.

Points to consider

An imaging sign describes an appearance that may have several explanations. Distribution, extent, other sequences and previous studies contribute to interpretation. The radiologist’s conclusion should be correlated with symptoms and examination before treatment is selected.

Role of TAGMED care

At TAGMED, assessment aims to understand symptoms, history and functional limitations. Manual care and osteopathy, motorized spinal decompression, laser and shockwave have different indications. The term described in this entry is not enough to select any of these modalities. Their relevance, limitations and possible contraindications should be discussed in relation to diagnosis and individual goals.

Related concepts and distinctions

These concepts belong to the same field, but are not synonyms.

• Intradural extramedullary lesion — Abnormality inside the dura but outside spinal cord tissue, potentially displacing or compressing the cord and roots.
• Extradural lesion — Abnormality outside the spinal dura, including in the epidural space, vertebrae or neighboring tissues.
• Bone sclerosis — Increased apparent density or mineralization of a bone region on imaging, which can reflect different processes.

Medical references

1. American College of Radiology / RSNA, RadiologyInfo. Spine MRI.
2. National Cancer Institute. Adult Central Nervous System Tumors Treatment (PDQ), Patient Version.

References document the topic; their inclusion does not imply endorsement of TAGMED services by those organizations.