Benign extramedullary foramen magnum tumors: diagnosis by computed tomography

This paper reports two cases of benign extramedullary tumors of the foramen magnum studied by computed tomography (CT). The first case was a neurinoma; the second was a meningioma. Several different CT findings allowed a correct preoperative diagnosis of the location and nature of the tumors. In view of the invasiveness of traditional diagnostic methods and of the encouraging, although limited, experience of the present cases, the role of CT in the diagnosis of these lesions is promising.