title: Solitary exostosis of the thoracic spine. Early diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: METHODS
  A case report.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of vertebral exostosis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Few cases of spinal cord compression caused by solitary thoracic exostoses have been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  A solitary exostosis in the midline of the neural arch of the fifth thoracic vertebra, causing compression of the spinal cord documented on both magnetic resonance and computed tomographic examinations, is reported in a 51-year-old woman who had normal findings in a neurologic examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The exostosis was successfully excised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accurate preoperative diagnosis of vertebral exostoses is possible using magnetic resonance and computed tomography. Early excision avoids the development of a permanent neurologic deficit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hope Hospital, Salford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Javadpour
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D005096:Exostoses / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed