Analysis of Clinical Features of Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors in Children / 实用儿科临床杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of intramedullary spinal cord tumors(IMSCT) in children.MethodsThe clinical data including sex,age,pathohistology,clinical manifestations and medical check-up collected from 16 children diagnosed as IMSCT in Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University,were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.ResultsThe study subjects inclu-ded 11 male and 5 female,with an average age of(8.55?4.28) years old,ranged from 15 months to 14 years old.The interval lasted 1 day to 9 years from onset of the syndrome to confirmed diagnosis of IMSCT.The first clinical manifestation was mostly pain.The main clinical mani-festations included limb dyskinesia in 14 cases,pain in 12 cases,urine and stool disturbance in 9 cases,gait irregularity in 8 cases,extremity atrophy in 3 cases.Medical check-up included abnormal tendon reflex in 14 cases,abnormal superficial reflex in 9 cases,sphincter dilatation in 6 cases,positive Babinski's signs in 5 cases,spinal deformity in 4 cases,region masses in 3 cases,paraesthesia in 2 cases,inequality of lower limb in 1 case,dermai sinus in 1 case,pigmentation in 1 case.The cases were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging,which presented thickened spinal cord and intramedullary abnormal signals in all the cases.Pathological types teratoma in 5 cases,dermoid cysts in 2 cases,epidermoid cyst in 2 cases.Misdiagnoses included urinary tract infections in 2 cases,rheumatoid arthritis in 1 case,and lumbar disc protrusion in 1 case.ConclusionsThe main pathohistology of pediatric IMSCT is congenital tumor.First clinical manifestation is pain.MRI can show a reliable evidence for the diagnosis.It is important to improve the outcomes of pediatric IMSCT by establishing the diagnosis and administering proper management as early as possible.