title: Neurocutaneous melanosis presenting as an intradural mass of the cervical canal: magnetic resonance features and the presence of melanin as a clue to diagnosis: case report.
abstract: We present a case of neurocutaneous melanosis in a 1-year-old child who presented with progressive quadriparesis created by an infiltrating extra-axial neoplastic melanin-producing tumor at the foramen magnum. This extensive intra-arachnoid mass filled the basal cisterns of the brain and surrounded the upper cervical cord. An imaging clue to the diagnosis was apparent as T1-weighted shortening on magnetic resonance in the pia and/or cortex of the cerebellar folia, suggesting the presence of melanin.
authors: State University of New York, Health Science Center, Syracuse.
authors: L B
authors: LB
authors: Poe
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Roitberg
authors: D D
authors: DD
authors: Galyon
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005539:Foramen Magnum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007796:Laminectomy; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017600:Neuroectodermal Tumor, Melanotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins