Diagnosis and treatment of intramedullary hemangioblastoma of cervical spinal cord

Objective To probe into the diagnosis and the treatment of intramedullary hemangioblastoma of cervical spinal cord.Methods The signs of MR imagings, and the methods and the results of operations were analysed in 19 patients with the tumor.Results On MRI, the tumors can be divided into three types: A.Syringeal type, the tumor varied in size and accompanied by syringobulbia and syringomyelia; B.Cystic type, the tumor presdented a cyst with small mural nodule; C.Solid type, the tumor revealed a huge solid tumor. All the patients underwent total tumor removal. Resected tumors were hemangioblastomas that were all confirmed by histological examinations. After operation, neurological status was improved in 18 patients and aggravated in 1.Conclusions For intramedullary hemangioblastoma of cervical spinal cord, cervical MR imagings can make out the diagnosis of localization and the nature, and classification. The classficationn is conductive to selecting appropriate operative method. When it is diagnosed, intramedullary hemangioblastoma of cervical spinal cord needs to be distinguished from thoracic outlet syndrome and cervical spondylopathy. Intramedullary hemangioblastoma of cervical spinal cord ,even invloving medulla oblongata,is amenable to aggressive surgery. Operative methods varied with the different type of the tumor. It is the most important that dissection is performed along the innterface and the tumor is removed after it is devascularized.