A Case of Cervical Cord Hemangioblastoma

ABSTRACT

Solitary intramedullary hemangioblastoma of the high cervical cord is rare. The incidence of spinal cord hemangioblastomas varies from 1.6% to 3% of primary spinal cord tumors. The case report dealt with a small solitary hemangioblastoma of 0.4cm in diameter arising in the intramedullary portion of the high cervical cord. Computerized axial tomograms of the brain including the cervical cord could not detect the tumor and cervical myelograms also failed to identify the mass. However, the vertebral angiography revealed a vascular nodule with abnormally dilated feeding artery arising from the right vertebral artery. The tumor was excised in toto from the surrounding medullary tissue without difficulties. The postoperative course of the patient had been uneventful. The possibility of missing such a small tumor like this one was emphasized.