[Extramedullary intradural spinal tumors]

The category of extramedullary intradural tumors includes a variety of lesions ranging from meningiomas originating from meningeal cells and nerve sheath tumors (neurofibromas, schwannomas) to less common primary tumors, such as lipomas, ependymomas, hemangiopericytomas, epidermoid cysts and dermoid cysts. Extramedullary metastases can occur as transcoelomic metastases in tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) or metastasization from other tumors. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the method of choice for localization and characterization of these lesions before treatment.