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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

[Spinal angiolipoma: case report].

Spinal extradural angiolipomas are rare benign tumours, accounting for only 0.14-1.2% of all spinal neoplasms. They are usually localized within the thoracic extradural space of the spinal canal and their common clinical presentation is myelopathy, mainly in the way of a slowly progressive paraparesis and sometimes in an acute form. We report the case of a 85 year old man who complained of bilateral lower limb weakness with sphincter disturbance of acute instauration. The MRI showed a posterior extradural lesion at L1-L2 level that compressed conus medularis and cauda equina. He underwent urgent surgical treatment and we achieved total resection of the lesion via a L1-L2 laminectomy. The pathological examination confirmed the tumour as an angiolipoma.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Effects of irradiation on posterior spinal fusions. A rabbit model.

STUDY DESIGN: The biological and biomechanical effects of irradiation on posterior bone graft healing in the lumbar spine of rabbits were investigated. Twenty-seven New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four groups. Each rabbit underwent a posterior lumbar spine fusion with autogenous iliac crest bone graft, and three of the experimental groups received perioperative irradiation. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the histologic and biomechanical effects of perioperative irradiation on posterior spinal fusions using a rabbit model. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Treatment of metastatic disease of the spine depends on the neurologic status of the patient, stability of the spine, location of the tumor, and the tissue of origin. Some patients require surgical decompression and stabilization. The response of a posterior spinal bone graft to irradiation has not been studied previously. METHODS: Group 1 (n = 7), the control group, did not receive irradiation. Group 2 (n = 6) received preoperative irradiation. Group 3 (n = 7) received immediate (day 3) postoperative irradiation, and Group 4 (n = 7) received delayed (day 21) postoperative irradiation. The radiation protocol consisted of 480 centigrade/fraction for 5 consecutive days. At 3 months, the rabbits were euthanatized. Nondestructive biomechanical testing was performed, followed by histologic evaluation of the fusion mass. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, Group 3 (immediate postoperative irradiation) specimens were less stiff in extension (P = .0001), flexion (P = .0006), compression (P = .018), and left lateral bending (P = .018). The preoperatively irradiated spines (Group 2) were less stiff in extension (P = .0008) and in compression (P = .035) than controls. The control group and the delayed irradiation group had the highest histologic scores and more mature fusion mass. The immediate postoperative irradiation group had the worst results, with consistent fibrous union of the graft. CONCLUSION: Healing of a posterior spinal fusion is influenced by the timing of radiation therapy. Adjuvant radiation therapy for patients with spinal neoplasm requiring a posterior fusion should, if possible, be delayed for 3 to 6 weeks postoperatively to maximize the probability of successful arthrodesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Intramedullary and extramedullary solitary fibrous tumor of the cervical spine. Case report and review of the literature.

Solitary fibrous tumor is a spindle cell tumor deriving from mesenchymal cells that arises most commonly in the pleura. Only very recently has this tumor been reported in the spine. A solitary fibrous tumor strongly resembles other spindle cell neoplasms of the spine and may be an unrecognized entity if not routinely considered in the differential diagnosis of spinal neoplasms. The authors report an unusual intra- and extramedullary location for a solitary fibrous tumor of the cervical spine. Findings in this case and a comprehensive review of the literature indicate that solitary fibrous tumors can originate from various spinal anatomical substrates and mimic both intra- and extramedullary tumor types.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMed2003

CyberKnife frameless single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery for benign tumors of the spine.

OBJECT: The role of stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of benign intracranial lesions is well established. Its role in the treatment of benign spinal lesions is more limited. Benign spinal lesions should be amenable to radiosurgical treatment similar to their intracranial counterparts. In this study the authors evaluated the effectiveness of the CyberKnife for benign spinal lesions involving a single-fraction radiosurgical technique. METHODS: The CyberKnife is a frameless radiosurgery system in which an orthogonal pair of x-ray cameras is coupled to a dynamically manipulated robot-mounted linear accelerator possessing six degrees of freedom, whereby the therapy beam is guided to the intended target without the use of frame-based fixation. Cervical spine lesions were located and tracked relative to skull osseous landmarks; lower spinal lesions were tracked relative to percutaneously placed fiducial bone markers. Fifteen patients underwent single-fraction radiosurgery (12 cervical, one thoracic, and two lumbar). Histological types included neurofibroma (five cases), paraganglioma (three cases), schwannoma (two cases), meningioma (two cases), spinal chordoma (two cases), and hemangioma (one case). Radiation dose plans were calculated based on computerized tomography scans acquired using 1.25-mm slices. Planning treatment volume was defined as the radiographic tumor volume with no margin. The tumor dose was maintained at 12 to 20 Gy to the 80% isodose line (mean 16 Gy). Tumor volume ranged from 0.3 to 29.3 ml (mean 6.4 ml). Spinal canal volume receiving more than 8 Gy ranged from 0.0 to 0.9 ml (mean 0.2 ml). All patients tolerated the procedure in an outpatient setting. No acute radiation-induced toxicity or new neurological deficits occurred during the follow-up period. Pain improved in all patients who were symptomatic prior to treatment. No tumor progression has been documented on follow-up imaging (mean 12 months). CONCLUSIONS: Spinal stereotactic radiosurgery was found to be feasible, safe, and effective for the treatment of benign spinal lesions. Its major potential benefits are the relatively short treatment time in an outpatient setting and the minimal risk of side effects. This new technique offers an alternative therapeutic modality for the treatment of a variety of benign spinal neoplasms in cases in which surgery cannot be performed, in cases with previously irradiated sites, and in cases involving lesions not amenable to open surgical techniques or as an adjunct to surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Primary tumors of the spine in children. Natural history, management, and long-term follow-up.

STUDY DESIGN: Patients 16 years of age and younger with primary vertebral neoplasms diagnosed between 1951 and 1996 at The University of Iowa were reviewed retrospectively with specific consideration given to follow-up. OBJECTIVE: Follow-up extending beyond the growth of the axial skeleton was used to establish the natural history, management outcome, and current approach to treatment. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Primary tumors of the spine are uncommon. The treatment of such lesions generally has been based on small series of tumors, or extrapolated from the treatment of tumors in other regions and tumors in adults. Given the unique developing anatomy and dynamic nature of the growing spine in children, delineating appropriate modalities of treatment for these tumors beyond the growth of the axial skeleton is essential. METHODS: Clinical history, radiographs, radiographic reports, and interviews were used to establish this database. Outcome with respect to the various approaches to treatment was then compared in detail. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were identified in which follow-up greater than 10 years was available for 58% of patients. There were 29 histologically benign and 16 malignant tumors. Patients presented most frequently with pain (79%) and neurologic deficits (74%). The duration of symptoms was significantly shorter with malignant tumors (11 weeks) compared with benign tumors (26 weeks). Radiographic abnormalities were demonstrated on plain radiographs in 98% of cases. Tumor excision was achieved in 80%. Follow-up studies were available beyond the growth of the axial skeleton in these patients, with an average follow-up of 14 years. Recurrence was seen in 6 of 45 children, and the overall mortality rate was 6.7%, occurring only with malignant tumors. CONCLUSION: Our current approach to treatment of spinal neoplasms varies from that used in the earlier part of the series and reflects the need for single stage complete resection and stabilization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Disc protrusion in the child. Particular features and comparison with neoplasms.

Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, although common in adults, is infrequent in the young, and especially in patients under 17 years old. In this work we review clinical data pertaining to two pediatric groups of patients whose main complaint was low back pain and/or sciatica, trying to identify factors that might contribute to their earlier referral and to the differential diagnosis of protruded disc and spinal neoplasm in this population. Group A comprises 17 youngsters diagnosed as having lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus and group B, 16 children with neoplasms of the lower thoracic and lumbosacral regions. Both groups were similar in sex distribution and symptoms of pain and numbness. However, there was a striking difference in age at presentation. No patient in group A was younger than 11 years, while most of those in group B were in their first decade of life (P = 0.018). The classic clinical onset in the children with herniated discs started with low back pain and sciatica, as in the children with neoplasms, although in subgroup B leg pain tended to be bilateral. The usual examination findings in both groups were spinal rigidity and sensory loss, but motor weakness and impaired reflexes were found to be more frequent in the group with spinal growths (P = 0.02). Children with lumbosacral neoplasms also tended to present with atypical symptoms (acute onset, intracranial hypertension, subarachnoid hemorrhage and abdominal pain), while this was the exception in the group with herniated discs. Plain radiographs of the pediatric spine showed that X-ray examination is still a good tool for diagnosing spinal growths compared with their scant utility in disc herniations (P = 0.001). During the survey we were impressed by the children's apparent good tolerance to pain, which is probably due to the lack of the emotional component of pain in adults and explains their delayed referral for neurosurgical consultation. However, all modalities of treatment seemed to be effective in children, chemonucleolysis and surgery being extraordinarily effective in this age group. Accordingly, we see no reason for long-term conservative therapy in children with lumbar and sciatic pain; on the contrary, we believe these patients should be offered earlier neurosurgical treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

MR imaging of the sacral plexus: abnormal findings.

Patients with symptoms of sacral plexopathy, radiculopathy, or sciatica may have disease originating in the neural elements, sacrum, bony pelvis, pelvic soft tissues, or gluteal region. As illustrated in our companion article, the sacral plexus and surrounding structures can be visualized in detail with MR imaging. This pictorial essay illustrates the MR findings in a number of abnormalities affecting the sacral plexus. Multiplanar MR examination is particularly helpful in defining neural levels of involvement by disease in this region.

Abscess↗
PubMed1987

Gliomas presenting outside the central nervous system.

Tumours outside the central nervous system rarely prove to be intracranial glioma metastases. The mechanism of glioma metastasis has been thought to be related to dissemination of tumour cells either at the time of surgery or later through the surgical defect. However, 8 cases have been recorded to date in which metastases have occurred in the absence of surgery. This report details the clinical findings in 2 such patients. One presented with a pharyngeal mass that was found to be a metastasis from an anatomically remote parietal lobe astrocytoma. The other patient presented with a C8 nerve root tumour which was external to the dura. Biopsy revealed an astrocytoma that had metastasized from the roof of the lateral ventricle. Possible mechanisms of pathogenesis are discussed, including that of neural spread.

Astrocytoma↗