Thoracic Spine Tumor Mimicking Cauda Equina Syndrome / 계명의대학술지

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is one of the typical symptoms condition requires emergency operation. This syndrome is always accompanied by sciatica. Because schwannomas rarely cause sciatica, it is seldom considered as a pain source in the patient with radiculopathy. A 74-year-old male patient presented with lumbar radiculopathy symptoms with, mild stenosis on lumbar MRI scan. All conservative treatment including medication failed to subside the symptoms. Thoracic spine MRI revealed a large tumor in the thoracic region. The symptoms disappeared after excision of the tumor. The tumor was diagnosed as a schwannoma.