Myxopapillary Ependymoma of Filum Terminale Mimicking Nerve Sheath Tumor

ABSTRACT

Myxopapillary ependymoma is a distinctive subtype of glioma that occurs almost exclusively in the conus medullaris and filum terminale. Though magnetic resonance(MR) imaging is an effective diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of these tumors, there are no definite correlations between the preoperative radiological images and histopathologic findings. A 30-year-old man with low back pain and leg pain was presented. MR images demonstrated a well-defined intradural extramedullary mass at the L3-4 with strong homogenous enhancement. Based on radiological features, our tentative diagnosis was a nerve sheath tumor. However, the histopathologic report confirmed it as myxopapillary ependymoma.