title: Chronic nontraumatic spinal epidural hematoma of the lumbar spine: MRI diagnosis.
abstract: An uncommon case of chronic nontraumatic spinal epidural hematoma of the lumbar spine in a 75-year-old woman is reported. The patient presented with a 7-month history of low back pain and bilateral sciatica. Magnetic resonance imaging enabled a correct preoperative diagnosis revealing a nodular, well-circumscribed epidural mass with peripheral enhancement and signal intensities consistent with chronic hematoma, which extended from L2 to L3. Laminectomy of L2-L3 was performed and the hematoma was totally resected. Histological examination of the surgical specimen demonstrated a chronic encapsulated hematoma. No evidence of vascular malformation was found. The patient recovered fully after surgical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Barquero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abascal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Valtuille
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Figols
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerezal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006407:Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results