Calcifying Pseudotumor of the Spine: A Case Report

Giardina F, Guerra G, Righi A and Bertoni F

Department of Orthopaedics, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Italy

^*Correspondance to: Federico Giardina 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.1042

Abstract

Objective: To describe a case of calcifying pseudotumor of the spine and to review and discuss the significant literature above this rare clinical entity. Summary of Background Data: Calcifying pseudotumor of the spine has been rarely reported. They are non-neoplastic, calcified lesions of the central nervous system believed to be reactive in nature. They are encountered both intracranially and spinally with a virtually equal prevalence.Methods: We present the case of a 68-year-old man with a L4-L5 radiculopathy without an history of trauma, infection or neoplastic process referred to the spine. CT and MRI scans showed a L4-L5 calcified intradural mass with an iso-ipointense signal to the spinal cord on T1- and T2-weighted sequences. Patient underwent a laminectomy to obtain complete resection of the lesion. The mass was round and hard and the histological examination revealed the typical features of calcified pseudoneoplasm of the neural axis (CAPNON).Results: At five years long follow-up the patient had complete resolution of his symptoms.Conclusions: This clinical entity should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of intracranial and intraspinal calcified lesions. The surgical resection is necessary to obtain symptom’s relief and proper histological validation.

Keywords

Pseudotumor; Spine

Cite the article

Giardina F, Guerra G, Righi A, Bertoni F. Calcifying Pseudotumor of the Spine: A Case Report. Clin Surg. 2016; 1: 1042.