A Thoracolumbar Pure Spinal Epidural Cavernous Hemangioma: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVES: We report a case of pure epidural cavernous hemangioma located at the thoracolumbar spine in a 53-year-old woman that mimicked a neurogenic tumor on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW A pure spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma without bony involvement is a very rare lesion about which limited information is available in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 53-year-old woman visited our clinic for hypoesthesia with a tingling sensation in the left anterolateral thigh that had begun a month ago. No other neurologic symptoms or signs were present upon a neurologic examination. MRI from an outside hospital showed a 2.0×0.5 cm elongated mass at the T11-12 left neural foramen. The tumor was completely removed in piecemeal fashion. RESULTS: The histopathologic examination revealed a cavernous hemangioma, which was the final diagnosis. The outcome was favorable in that only operation-related mild back pain remained, without any neurologic deficits, after a postoperative follow-up of 2 years and 3 months. No recurrence was observed on MRI at 2 years postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Pure epidural spinal cavernous hemangioma is very rare, and it is very difficult to differentiate from other epidural lesions. However, we believe that it should be included in the differential diagnosis of spinal epidural tumors due to its favorable prognosis.