Huge Thoracolumbar Extradural Arachnoid Cyst

ABSTRACT

A case is presented to demonstrate the image findings of a patient with a recent onset of progressive spinal cord compression caused by a huge arachnoid cyst. A 45-year-old woman with progressive paraparesis and dysaesthesia on both legs had extradural mass on thoracolumbar junction and she was cured successfully with surgery. The tumor mass turned out to be arachnoid cyst histologically. By the time of discharge all neurologic deficits and symptoms were cured. Thoracolumbar extradural arachnoid cyst is rare cause of the spastic paraparesis. It is an unusual expanding lesion in the spinal canal which may communicate with the subarachnoid space. The goal of surgery is to decompress the spinal cord and close the connection with the subarachnoid space. We report a case of huge thoracolumbar arachnoid cyst presenting spastic paraparesis with a review of literatures.