Ependymoma vs astrocytoma of the spinal cord

Last revised by Zhen Pang Chang on 12 Feb 2022

A number of factors are useful when differentiating between spinal cord ependymoma and spinal cord astrocytoma

Ependymoma

  • child or adult
  • more central in location
  • well-defined lesion
  • bone remodeling is common
  • low T1 signal
  • well-defined enhancement
  • syrinx is more common
  • hemorrhage is more common

Astrocytoma

  • child
  • more eccentric
  • ill-defined lesion
  • bone remodeling is less common
  • low T1 signal
  • ill-defined enhancement
  • syrinx is less common
  • hemorrhage is less common

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