Castleman's disease and spinal cord compression: case report.
OBJECTIVE
Castleman's disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder most often found in the mediastinum. Localized forms are usually benign, whereas multicentric forms may be aggressive. We report a patient with Castleman's disease who presented with spinal cord compression, and we review previously published cases of Castleman's disease involving the central nervous system. To our knowledge, this is only the second case of Castleman's disease presenting as a spinal epidural mass with cord compression.


METHODS
A 44-year-old otherwise healthy woman presented acutely with difficulty walking. Examination revealed mild myelopathy in her legs. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a posterior epidural mass compressing the thoracic spinal cord at T3-T5.


METHODS
Thoracic laminectomy and gross total resection of the lesion were performed. Pathological examination of the lesion identified the hyaline-vascular type of Castleman's disease. The patient's symptoms resolved postoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
Castleman's disease presenting as a spinal epidural mass lesion with cord compression is rare. Surgical treatment can result in an excellent outcome.
Kachur
Edward
E
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Ang
Lee-Cyn
LC
Megyesi
Joseph F
JF
D000328:Adult; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery