"Dural tail" adjacent to a giant posterior cerebral artery aneurysm: case report and review of the literature

Neuroradiology. 1997 Aug;39(8):577-80. doi: 10.1007/s002340050470.

Abstract

The "dural tail" sign on gadolinium (Gd-DTPA)-enhanced MRI has been described in association with meningiomas. Various series with histopathological correlation have shown that in some cases there is tumour invasion into the dura mater, but in the majority of cases it represents a hypervascular, non-neoplastic reaction. While this sign was originally thought to be specific for meningioma, subsequent case reports have described the presence of a dural tail in other intra- and extra-axial lesions. We present a patient with a giant aneurysm arising from the P2 segment of the right posterior cerebral artery, adjacent to the tentorium, with a prominent dural tail on Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI. In this location, differentiation of an aneurysm from a meningioma was critical.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cerebral Angiography
  • Cerebral Arteries / pathology
  • Contrast Media*
  • Dura Mater / pathology*
  • Embolization, Therapeutic
  • Female
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / diagnosis*
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / therapy
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Organometallic Compounds*
  • Pentetic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Puerperal Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Puerperal Disorders / therapy

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Pentetic Acid
  • Gadolinium DTPA