The purpose of this study was to relate the pathological and imaging features of dural enhancement and meningeal sign ("dural tail") on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images from patients with primary calvarial lesions as well to assess the accuracy of MR imaging in predicting dural invasion. Thirty-two calvarial tumors studied with contrast-enhanced MR imaging and histopathological examination of the dural specimens were reviewed. Sixteen patients presented dural enhancement, eight with tumor invasion. Tumoral invasion of the dura was observed in one case without enhancement. Malignant lesions showed enhanced dura more commonly than benign lesions (P=0.02). Nodular and discontinuous dural enhancement was statistically associated with dural invasion (P=0.05). Dural tail did not show a specific pathological association. Meningeal enhancement is a nonspecific reaction to calvarial lesions unless nodular and discontinuous. False-negative and -positive cases of dural invasion imply some limitation of contrast-enhanced MR imaging in predicting dural invasion by calvarial neoplasms.