Imaging of pediatric spine and spinal cord tumors: A COG Diagnostic Imaging Committee/SPR Oncology Committee/ASPNR White Paper

Rogers SN, Udayasankar U, Pruthi S, Lai HA, Kadom N, Guerin J, Malinzak M, Shulkin BL, Poussaint TY, Patay Z, Bag AK. Imaging of pediatric spine and spinal cord tumors: A COG Diagnostic Imaging Committee/SPR Oncology Committee/ASPNR White Paper. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2023 Jun;70 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):e30150. doi: 10.1002/pbc.30150. Epub 2022 Dec 23. PubMed PMID: 36562555; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10681366.

Childhood spinal tumors are rare. Tumors can involve the spinal cord, the meninges, bony spine, and the paraspinal tissue. Optimized imaging should be utilized to evaluate tumors arising from specific spinal compartments. This manuscript provides consensus-based recommendations for optimized imaging of tumors arising from specific spinal compartments at diagnosis, follow-up during and after therapy, and response assessment.