The so-called "sugar coating" or zuckerguss (German for sugar icing) is seen in postcontrast images of the brain and spinal cord in patients with leptomeningeal drop metastases or leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.

It is relatively subtle and therefore can easily be missed if you don't look for it/ One can see this is a new finding compared to the MR done 4 months perviously.

Without contrast, it cannot be identified.