title: Paraganglioma of the cauda equina: a report of two cases with unusual histopathological features.
abstract: Paragangliomas of the cauda equina are very rare. Preoperatively, they are usually diagnosed as schwannoma. We report 2 cases that exhibited unusual histopathologic structure as well as a typical Zellballen pattern with a highly vascular stroma. The unusual features included papillary, ribboning, and pseudorosette patterns, ganglion cell nests, and melanin pigment. Pathological diagnosis of paraganglioma may be especially difficult when such unusual histopathological features are seen. Correct histopathological diagnosis is important as paraganglioma has a better prognosis than other tumors included in the differential diagnosis for this location.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Department of Orthopedics, Nagasaki University Hospital, and Department of Orthopedics, Nagasaki Prefecture Shimabara Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Kuniko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Naoe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Taishi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osaki
authors.forename: Tomayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000473:pathology; D010236:Paraganglioma, Extra-Adrenal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery