title: Dumbbell-shaped spinal epidural cavernous angioma. Case report.
abstract: Cavernous angiomas are common lesions of the CNS characterized by abnormally dilated blood vessels lined by a thin endothelium, closely clustered together and not separated by normal neural tissue. They are more frequently found intracranially. In the spine, a common location is the vertebral bodies. Intradural extramedullary and intramedullary cavernous angiomas are less frequent lesions, while purely epidural locations are uncommon. Spinal dumbbell-shaped epidural cavernous angiomas are exceedingly rare, and only six cases have been reported in the literature. We describe one additional case whose MRI appearance was indistinguishable from that of a neurinoma, which is a much more common lesion. Surgical treatment is advised and complete radiological evaluation is necessary to rule out concomitant localizations in other organs.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Neurochirurgia, Ospedale C.T.O., Torino.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanotte
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Massaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faccani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forni
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Valentini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*