title: Thoracic spinal cord cavernous angioma: a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cavernous angiomas of the spinal cord are rare vascular malformations, which account for approximately 5 to 12 percent of spinal cord vascular lesions. They usually originate in the vertebrae, with occasional extension into the extradural space, and intramedullary cavernomas, even if reported in the literature, are very rare.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a 34-year-old Caucasian woman affected by a thoracic intramedullary cavernous angioma. Our patient complained of 10-day history of acute dorsal pain, progressive weakness of both lower extremities, worse on the right side, a 'pins and needles' sensation in the abdominal region and bladder dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging showed, at D5 level, a vascular malformation, which was not documented at spinal angiography. Our patient underwent surgical treatment with total removal of the lesion and her symptoms gradually improved. A histological examination revealed the typical features of a cavernous angioma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intramedullary cavernous angioma is a rare lesion that should be diagnosed early and surgically treated before rebleeding or enlargement of the lesion can occur.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Clinic, Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Palermo, School of Medicine, Via del Vespro 129, Palermo 90100, Italy. Giovanni.grassso@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alafaci
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cutugno
authors.forename: Francesco Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Salpietro
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomasello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
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