title: Ectopic ganglion in cauda equina: case report.
abstract: Macroscopic ectopic or heterotopic ganglionic tissue within the cauda equina is a very rare pathological finding and is usually associated with spinal dysraphism. However, it may mimic genuine neoplasms of the cauda equina. The authors describe a 29-year-old woman with a history of back pain, right leg pain, and urinary incontinence in whom imaging demonstrated an enhancing mass located in the cauda equina at the L1-2 interspace. The patient subsequently underwent biopsy and was found to have a focus of ectopic ganglionic tissue that was 1.3 cm in greatest dimension. To the authors' knowledge, ectopic or heterotopic ganglionic tissue within the cauda equina in a patient without evidence of spinal dysraphism has never been reported. This patient presented with imaging and clinical findings suggestive of a neoplasm, and an open biopsy proved the lesion to be ectopic ganglionic tissue. The authors suggest that ectopic ganglionic tissue be added to the list of differential diagnoses of a space-occupying lesion arising from the cauda equina.
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurosurgery and.
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Conner
authors.affiliation: Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: Kar-Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.affiliation: Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
authors.forename: Jo Elle G
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurosurgery and.
authors.forename: Chad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Glenn
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurosurgery and.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002828:Choristoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005724:Ganglia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: cauda equina tumors; ectopic dorsal root ganglion; ectopic ganglion; lumbar; paraganglioma; spinal oncology