The presence of hyperintensity on T1WI can be an important clue leading to a specific diagnosis, as happens in this case. Wich are the causes of T1 hyperintensity?
Melanin. Gadolinium. Fat. Proteinaceous substance. Some paramagnetic stages of blood. Mineralization. Slowly-flowing blood. Calcium.
What's the most frequent T1WI appearance of meningeal melanocytomas?
Isointense or hyperintense depending on the amount of melanin content present.
What's the most frequent T2WI appearance of meningeal melanocytomas?
Isointense or hypointense depending on the amount of melanin content present.
Solitary well-defined fusiform intramedullary lesion involving the spinal cord at the D8-D11 level, hypointense on T2WI, moderate hyperintense on T1WI, and presenting homogeneous enhancement of its solid component after gadolinium administration.
Lesion associates a cystic component in its cranial pole, and presents susceptibility artifacts in the T2WI-GRE corresponding to its melanin component and the presence of degraded blood products.
T2WI hyperintense per focal tumoral edema at the D5-D7 levels and conus medullaris is noted, suggestive of myelopathy.