Our study aimed to investigate the specific signs on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in providing useful data to differentiate between intradural - extramedullary schwannomas and meningiomas. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study reviewed 42 patients with intradural - extramedullary schwannomas and 18 patients with intradural - extramedullary meningiomas. All patients had undergone spinal MRI prior to surgery at Vietduc University hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam, from July 2019 to December 2021. Results: Patients with schwannoma showed significantly higher frequency of cystic change sign (SE 64.3%, SP 100%, PPV 100%), neural foraminal widening sign (SP 94.4% và PPV 92.3%); patients with meningioma showed significantly higher frequency of dural tail sign (SP 97.6%, PPV 90.9%, NPV 83.7%) (p<0.05). Conclusion: cystic change sign, neural foraminal widening sign, dural tail sign were useful in differentiating between intradural extramedullary schwannomas from meningiomas. Cystic change sign, neural foraminal widening sign were significantly common in intradural - extramedullary schwannomas; dural tail sign was significantly common in meningiomas.