Spinal Tumour - Details of Causes, Symptoms & Diagnosis
A Spinal tumor - a cancerous or noncancerous growth that develops with the cervical (neck), thoracic (midback) or lumbosacral (lowback) regions or near the spinal cord or bones of the spine.
They may be primary originating from the spinal cord or metastatic originating elsewhere (eg: lung, breast etc) CAUSES OF SPINAL TUMORS: Primary spinal cord tumors may be extramedullary (occurring outside the spinal cord) or Intramedullary (occurring within the cord itself).
Extramedullary tumors may be intradural (meningiomas and schwannomas) which account for 60% of all primary spinal cord neoplasms or extradural (metastatic tumors like from breasts, lungs, prostate, leukemia or lymphomas) which account for 25% of these neoplasms.
Intramedullary tumors or gliomas (astrocytomas or ependymomas) are comparatively rare accounting for only about 10% of tumors.
Spinal tumors are rare compared with intracranial tumors (ratio 1:4).
They occur with equal frequency in men and women with the exception of meningiomas which occur most often in women.
Spinal cord tumors can occur anywhere along the length of cord or its roots SYMPTOMS OF SPINAL TUMORS: 1.
Neck and back pain are common presenting symptoms of spinal cord tumors.
2.
The pain is often present at night and is worsened with physical activity.
3.
Loss of sensation or weakness especially in legs 4.
Difficulty in walking sometimes leading to falls 5.
Decreased sensitivity to pain, heat and cold 6.
Loss of bowel and bladder function 7.
Paralysis that may occur in varying degrees and n different parts of body depending on which nerves are compressed DIAGNOSIS OF SPINAL TUMORS: 1.
Diagnosis of spinal tumors begins with history and physical examination 2.
Plain X-Rays 3.
Spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 4.
CT Scan 5.
Myelogram 6.
Biopsy- whether the tumor is benign or malignant Some specialized hospitals in India achieved accreditation from Joint Commission International ( JCI ) standard.
They availed high quality and cost effective advanced surgery in India.
They may be primary originating from the spinal cord or metastatic originating elsewhere (eg: lung, breast etc) CAUSES OF SPINAL TUMORS: Primary spinal cord tumors may be extramedullary (occurring outside the spinal cord) or Intramedullary (occurring within the cord itself).
Extramedullary tumors may be intradural (meningiomas and schwannomas) which account for 60% of all primary spinal cord neoplasms or extradural (metastatic tumors like from breasts, lungs, prostate, leukemia or lymphomas) which account for 25% of these neoplasms.
Intramedullary tumors or gliomas (astrocytomas or ependymomas) are comparatively rare accounting for only about 10% of tumors.
Spinal tumors are rare compared with intracranial tumors (ratio 1:4).
They occur with equal frequency in men and women with the exception of meningiomas which occur most often in women.
Spinal cord tumors can occur anywhere along the length of cord or its roots SYMPTOMS OF SPINAL TUMORS: 1.
Neck and back pain are common presenting symptoms of spinal cord tumors.
2.
The pain is often present at night and is worsened with physical activity.
3.
Loss of sensation or weakness especially in legs 4.
Difficulty in walking sometimes leading to falls 5.
Decreased sensitivity to pain, heat and cold 6.
Loss of bowel and bladder function 7.
Paralysis that may occur in varying degrees and n different parts of body depending on which nerves are compressed DIAGNOSIS OF SPINAL TUMORS: 1.
Diagnosis of spinal tumors begins with history and physical examination 2.
Plain X-Rays 3.
Spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 4.
CT Scan 5.
Myelogram 6.
Biopsy- whether the tumor is benign or malignant Some specialized hospitals in India achieved accreditation from Joint Commission International ( JCI ) standard.
They availed high quality and cost effective advanced surgery in India.
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