[Magnetic resonance tomographic findings in spinal lipomas]

The diagnosis of spinal lipoma was confirmed by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in six patients. MRI was superior to CT and myelography in detection of a tethered cord in combination with a lipoma. Fatty tissue, especially in the extradural intraspinal compartment, is not necessarily a pathologic finding. The etiology of spinal lipomas remains obscure. The seemingly idiosyncratic genesis of fatty tissue is discussed with reference to one of the patients in this series.