[Multiple nerve root tumors and neurofibromatosis: contribution of magnetic resonance imaging]

Three patients (two females and one male) with radiculospinal neurologic involvement secondary to different forms of neurofibromatosis are reported. The first two met the diagnostic criteria for NF-1, although case 2 had a posterior fossa meningioma, which is an uncommon finding in this group. The male patient had an apparently sporadic NF-2, with bilateral acoustic nerve neurinoma, multiple meningioma, multiple radicular neurinoma and an intraspinal tumor apparent in magnetic resonance imaging. In the three cases the whole central nervous system was evaluated with gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. A great number of radicular tumors, many of which were asymptomatic, were detected. In spite of the severity of the clinical features, the three patients showed a dramatic improvement after the surgical removal of the symptomatic tumors. The use of magnetic resonance is encouraged, owing to its high resolution and safety, for the assessment of incidence, character and localization of tumors in neurofibromatosis and to establish a good clinico-lesional correlation before surgery. This technique may help to a better understanding of the spectrum of abnormalities in each type of neurofibromatosis, thus facilitating the evaluation of this complex condition.