title: [Lumbosacral neoplastic radiculopathy].
abstract: Lumbar-disc protrusions (LDP) constitute well-defined syndromes on clinical and anatomical grounds, and neurosurgeons are prone to rely upon the clinical signs to identify the level of disc protrusion when a "typical" case is found. Sometimes, non-contrasted computerized tomographic (CT) scans centered on the L5-S1, L4-L5 and L3-L4 interspaces and spine roentgenograms are the only special ancillary means in presurgical evaluation. We report three patients from our series, in which neoplastic spinal disease presented as classic LDP (one patient with a cauda equina schwannoma, and two with metastatic carcinoma). The cases were chosen because they posed special problems to the referred radiodiagnostic routine. Systematic CT-evaluation of the sacrum and conus medullaris zone is recommended in every patient with lumbosacral radiculopathy, and intrathecal contrast should be employed in patients with unreliable findings or normal CT-scans.
authors: Departamento de Neuro-Psiquiatria da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas, Brasil.
authors: S L
authors: SL
authors: Rossitti
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Roth-Vargas
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sperlescu
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Balbo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009192:Myelography; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
vernacular_title: Radiculopatia neoplásica lombossacral.