title: Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system secondary to spinal ependymoma.
abstract: Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system is a syndrome caused by deposition of hemosiderin in the subpial layers of the central nervous system, occurring as a result of recurrent asymptomatic or symptomatic bleeding into the subarachnoid space. We report a rare case of superficial siderosis in a 33-year-old man who presented with sensorineural hearing loss. The diagnosis of superficial siderosis on MRI brain studies led to further investigations with detection of a spinal ependymoma at L1-L2, compressing the cauda equina. Gross total resection of the tumor arrested the progression of the neurological deterioration. Our report underlies the importance of early diagnosis and surgical management, with imaging examination of the full neuroaxis to identify the source of bleeding, to halt disease progression and improve prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, P.O. Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pikis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, P.O. Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; Department of Radiology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, P.O. Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
authors.forename: Andres A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: J Moshe
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gomori
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Sagi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harnof
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, P.O. Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. Electronic address: eyal.itshayek@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Itshayek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012806:Siderosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013346:Subarachnoid Space; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Central nervous system; Spinal ependymoma; Superficial siderosis