[Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis documented by MR imaging]

A 63-year-old woman with progressive paraparesis was found to have an intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from the primary rectal cancer. Myelography and post myelography CT showed an enlargement of the spinal cord at level of the sixth to seventh thoracic vertebra. MR imaging disclosed a localized mass in the spinal cord at the same level. T2-weighted images showed an oval high signal intensity area with central low intensity, and gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced T1-weighted images demonstrated a ring enhancement. Histological examination of the spinal cord revealed an intramedullary spinal cord metastasis with intra-tumorous necrosis at T7 to T8 cord level.