Spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma in an HIV-positive patient.
BACKGROUND
Spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma is rare.


OBJECTIVE
Here, we report a case of spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma in an HIV-positive patient.


METHODS
Single case report.


METHODS
A 40-year-old known HIV-positive woman presented with a 6-month history of slowly progressive bilateral leg weakness and pain. Neuroimaging showed an epidural mass lesion, which was isointense on T1-WI, hyperintense on T2-WI, and homogenously enhanced with gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (Gd-DTPA), from T8 to T10.


RESULTS
The patient underwent T8-T10 laminectomy and removal of this lesion. Pathological diagnosis was cavernous hemangioma.


CONCLUSIONS
Although soft-tissue tumors such as Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphomas have been well documented in association with HIV infection, this is the first reported case of spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma. This may be an incidental finding or perhaps a causal relationship exists, suggesting that cavernous hemangioma could be a differential diagnosis of a spine lesion in HIV-positive patients.
Akiyama
Masahiko
M
Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. masa-aky@sta.att.ne.jp
Ginsberg
Howard J
HJ
Munoz
David
D
D000328:Adult; D015174:Epidural Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D020786:Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging