title: Pain pattern in multiple vertebral hemangiomas involving non-adjacent levels: report of two cases.
abstract: Hemangioma of the bone is a benign tumor usually involving the spine and the bones of the skull and pelvis. It may be either a single lesion or part of a generalized multifocal disease. Multiple lesions involving non-adjacent vertebrae are rare. Two cases of multiple vertebral hemangiomas at non-adjacent levels with different pain patterns are presented at various stages of follow-up in order to emphasize the fact that multiple vertebral hemangiomas may present with different clinical characteristics over a long period of time. The change in the location and pattern of the initially presented pain in both patients suggested the possibility of multiple level involvement. Investigation revealed multiple hemangiomas involving three non-adjacent vertebrae in the first patient and four in the second. We stress the fact that the existence of multiple non-adjacent lesions may remain undiagnosed for a considerable period of time and may be responsible for even longer-term recurrent episodes of pain. Multifocal location of back pain in patients with a known vertebral hemangioma may be considered a relative indication for the presence of multiple non-adjacent level lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Athens University, KAT Hospital, Greece. kar@med.uth.gr
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Korres
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karachalios
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roidis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bargiotas
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stamos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal