The dural tail sign (also known as "dural thickening", "flare sign", or "meningeal sign") is a radiological finding observed in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the brain that refers to a thickening of the dura mater immediately adjacent to a mass lesion, such as a brain tumor.[1] Initially, the dural tail sign was thought to be pathognomonic of meningioma, a slow-growing tumor that arises from the meninges.[1] However, subsequent studies have shown that it can also be observed in various intra- and extra-cranial pathologies and in spinal lesions.[1] It is not a completely sensitive finding, as it is seen in only 60-72% of cases.[2] It is not completely specific either, as it has been described associated with lesions like neuromas, chloromas, pituitary diseases, granulomatous disorders, cerebral Erdheim-Chester disease, lymphomas, metastasis, hemangiopericytomas, schwannomas, and gliomas such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).[2][3] The final diagnosis should be further established through cerebrospinal fluid analysis or histopathological examination following a biopsy.[3]
The dural tail sign was first described in 1989 by Wilms et al..[1][4] Histopathological correlation from different studies has at times revealed tumor infiltration into the dura mater, however, in most instances, it signifies a hypervascular, non-neoplastic response.[3]
One study showed that including the dural tail in the stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) volumes for meningioma treatment did not seem to impact recurrence.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Sotoudeh, Houman (2010). "A review on dural tail sign". World Journal of Radiology. 2 (5). Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.: 188–192. doi:10.4329/wjr.v2.i5.188. ISSN 1949-8470. PMC 2999017. PMID 21161034.
- ^ a b Doddamani, RameshS; Meena, RajeshK; Sawarkar, Dattaraj (2018). "Ambiguity in the Dural Tail Sign on MRI". Surgical Neurology International. 9 (1). Scientific Scholar: 62. doi:10.4103/sni.sni_328_17. ISSN 2152-7806. PMC 5875113. PMID 29629229.
- ^ a b c Guermazi, A.; Lafitte, F.; Miaux, Y.; Adem, C.; Bonneville, J.-F.; Chiras, J. (2005). "The dural tail sign—beyond meningioma". Clinical Radiology. 60 (2). Elsevier BV: 171–188. doi:10.1016/j.crad.2004.01.019. ISSN 0009-9260. PMID 15664571.
- ^ Wilms, Guy; Lammens, Martin; Marchal, Guy; Calenbergh, Frank Van; Plets, Chris; Fraeyenhoven, Luc Van; Baert, Albert L. (1989). "Thickening of Dura Surrounding Meningiomas". Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography. 13 (5). Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health): 763–768. doi:10.1097/00004728-198909000-00003. ISSN 0363-8715. PMID 2778133.
- ^ Piper, Keenan; Yu, Siyuan; Taghvaei, Mohammad; Fernandez, Christian; Mouchtouris, Nikolaos; Smit, Rupert D.; Yudkoff, Clifford; Collopy, Sarah; Reyes, Maikerly; Lavergne, Pascal; Karsy, Michael; Prashant, Giyarpuram N.; Shi, Wenyin; Evans, James (2022-07-04). "Radiation of meningioma dural tail may not improve tumor control rates". Frontiers in Surgery. 9. Frontiers Media SA: 908745. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.908745. ISSN 2296-875X. PMC 9289604. PMID 35860199.
Well, that’s interesting to know that Psilotum nudum are known as whisk ferns. Psilotum nudum is the commoner species of the two. While the P. flaccidum is a rare species and is found in the tropical islands. Both the species are usually epiphytic in habit and grow upon tree ferns. These species may also be terrestrial and grow in humus or in the crevices of the rocks.
View the detailed Guide of Psilotum nudum: Detailed Study Of Psilotum Nudum (Whisk Fern), Classification, Anatomy, Reproduction