Adult cervical intramedullary teratoma: first reported immature case.
Intramedullary teratomas, particularly adult cervicothoracic lesions, are extremely rare. Up to now only 6 cases of intramedullary cervical teratomas have been reported in adults, and all of these were histologically mature. The authors present the case of a 35-year-old man with progressive myelopathic symptoms who was admitted through an outpatient clinic and was surgically treated. The characteristics, diagnosis, epidemiology, and treatment of cervical intramedullary teratomas in adults are also reviewed. Postoperative MR imaging showed that the tumor had been near totally removed, and severely adherent tissue remained ventrocranially with tiny focal enhancement on follow-up MR imaging. Pathological examinations revealed immature teratoma without any malignant component. Adjuvant therapy was not performed. Although no change in neurological findings and symptoms was apparent postoperatively, lesion regrowth was demonstrated on MR imaging 4 months after surgery. At 8 months postoperatively, myelopathic symptoms had developed and a huge intramedullary tumor recurred according to MR imaging. This case is the seventh reported instance of intramedullary cervical teratoma in an adult, and the first case report of the immature type with malignant features.
Moon
Hong Joo
HJ
Department of Neurosurgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Shin
Bong-Kyung
BK
Kim
Joo Han
JH
Kim
Jong-Hyun
JH
Kwon
Taek-Hyun
TH
Chung
Hung-Seob
HS
Park
Youn-Kwan
YK
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001706:Biopsy; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery