MRI dural tail sign may help separate canine meningioma from glioma

A new study in Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound suggests the dural tail sign on MRI may be more useful than many clinicians have assumed for distinguishing canine meningioma from peripherally located glioma. In a retrospective review of 27 dogs with histopathologically confirmed tumors, the sign showed 95% sensitivity and 89.1% specificity for differentiating meningioma from glioma, with substantial interobserver agreement and almost perfect intraobserver agreement. The paper was published in May 2026 by investigators from Texas A&M University, Auburn University, and the University of Pennsylvania. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams working up intracranial masses, that’s a practical finding. Conventional teaching has held that the dural tail sign supports an extra-axial lesion but isn’t specific for meningioma, and prior veterinary literature has emphasized overlap with other neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions. This study doesn’t make the sign definitive on its own, but it does suggest DTS may carry more diagnostic weight when the main differential is meningioma versus a peripheral glioma, potentially helping with case discussions, referral decisions, treatment planning, and conversations with pet parents before biopsy or surgery. (frontiersin.org)

What to watch: The next step is whether larger, multicenter studies confirm these performance metrics across MRI platforms, readers, and a broader mix of intracranial differentials. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)