title: Intradural spinal teratoma: evidence for a dysembryogenic origin. Report of four cases.
abstract: Intradural spinal teratoma is a rare tumor that can be associated with dysraphic defects. Although the origin of these tumors is traditionally thought to be secondary to primordial germ cells misplaced early in embryogenesis, the pathogenesis of intraspinal teratoma remains unclear. The authors present a series of patients in whom an intradural teratoma arose at the same site as a developmental spinal cord abnormality, including a split cord malformation, myelomeningocele, and lipomyelomeningocele. It is postulated that these lesions were the result of a dysembryogenic mechanism and were not neoplastic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery (Pediatric Neurosurgery), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Koen
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: McLendon
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004388:Dura Mater; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000196:embryology; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology