Tumoral calcinosis of the lumbar meninges: case report.
OBJECTIVE
Tumoral calcinosis is a rare disorder of unknown origin. Tumoral calcinosis involving the spine is extremely rare. This is the first case of tumoral calcinosis localized in the dura mater of the lumbar spine.


METHODS
This 55-year-old male patient presented with tumoral calcinosis of the lumbar meninges. T1-weighted, sagittal magnetic resonance imaging scans of the lumbar spine revealed a round mass of slightly increased intensity with high-intensity margins, located posterior to the cauda equina at the L4-L5 level. The cauda equina was severely compressed anteriorly. T2-weighted scans revealed that the mass was composed of a high-intensity area with low-intensity margins. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained after intravenous gadolinium administration revealed some enhancement at the margins.


METHODS
The mass lesion was totally resected. Three years after surgery, no recurrence was observed in follow-up magnetic resonance imaging scans.


CONCLUSIONS
Although tumoral calcinosis is a rare cause of mass lesions of the lumbar spine, it should be considered in differential diagnoses. If the lesion can be totally resected, the prognosis should be good, similar to that for general tumoral calcinosis.
Department of Neurosurgery, Yamanashi Medical University, Nakakoma-gun, Japan.
A
A
Watanabe
S
S
Isoe
M
M
Kaneko
H
H
Nukui
D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery