Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) can deliver high radiation doses to small volumes with very tight margins, which has significant advantages when treating tumours close to the spinal cord or at sites of retreatment. When treating spinal tumours, meticulous quality control is essential with effective immobilisation, as dose gradients at the edge of the spinal cord will be steep and excessiv...

Magnetic resonance imaging features of three benign cystic lumbosacral schwannomas, which showed multiple fluid-fluid levels, are described. One of the tumours showed bone destruction with fluid-fluid levels that closely mimicked an aneurysmal bone cyst. Pathological examination confirmed haemorrhage as the cause of fluid-fluid levels in the tumours. Though a rare finding, fluid-fluid levels wi...

A spinal neurofibroma with malignant change leading to `sarcomatous meningitis' is described in a woman of 73. Three similar cases have been found in the literature. This is an exceedingly rare complication of nerve sheath tumours in the spinal canal.

G iant-cell tumours (GCTs) are relatively common in the appendicular skeleton and frequently occur in the epiphyseal region. They rarely occur in the spine, and when they do develop in the axial skeleton, it is usually in the sacrum. Giant-cell tumours are osteolytic tumours comprising about 5% of primary bone tumours and less than 5% of primary bone tumours in the spine. They occur primarily d...

Haemangioblastomas are uncommon tumours that usually occur in the cerebellum and, less commonly, in the intramedullary spinal cord. The extramedullary spinal canal is an uncommon location for these tumours. Also haemangioblastoma at this site is not known to be associated with polycythemia. We present the clinical, imaging, and histological findings of an adult patient with extramedullary spina...

Tumours of the thoracic spine . . . . . . . . . . . e169 Extradural haematoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e171 Spinal cord herniation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e173 Thoracic spinal canal stenosis . . . . . . . . . . . e173 Chest deformities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e173 Fracture of a transverse process . . . . . . . . . . e179 Spinal infections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....

Brain and spinal tumours in childhood (0–15 years) account for 20–25% of childhood cancer, aVecting one in 2500 children. In the UK, this means that about 350 new cases are diagnosed each year, of which 55% and 50% survive five and 10 years, respectively. For those who are survivors, about 60% have cognitive deficits and 20–30% have diYculties with mobility and chronic pain. Deaths from this gr...

Hemangioblastomas represent cca. 1 2,5% of all the intracranial tumours and only 2 -3% at the level of the spinal cord. The symptomatology, usually insidious, is directly proportional with the size of the tumour. The native magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and the use of a contrast agent is the investigation of choice for diagnosing intramedullary tumours. Authors report the case of a 51 y...

BACKGROUND Spinal tumours and ependymomas in particular are rare causes of cauda equina syndrome that present with faecal incontinence. CASE PRESENTATION We present a case of a 45 year old gentleman who presents to a colorectal clinic with incontinence. We then present a review of ependymomas with particular reference to the symptoms they cause as well a review of the neurophysiology of faeca...

The clinical and pathological features of 63 cases of post-mortem-proved diffuse infiltration of the leptomeninges by tumour are presented. A wide variety of tumours of the nervous system, both primary and secondary, was found to give rise to such involvement, with adenocarcinoma having a particular propensity to behave in this manner. Dysfunction of cranial and spinal nerves, a confusional sta...