Dumbbell appearance of spinal tumors

The dumbbell appearance of spinal tumors refers to a tumor which has both a component within the canal and a component in the paravertebral space contiguous with each other via a thinner tumor component traversing the neural exit foramen.

The appearance can be seen in:

• spinal nerve sheath tumors
  • spinal schwannoma (90%)
  • spinal neurofibroma
  • spinal ganglioneuroma
• neuroblastoma
• spinal meningioma