SPINAL ANGIOLIPOMA MIMICKING EXTRADURAL LIPOMATOSIS

Spinal angiolipoma is a rare, benign tumour. More than 90% of cases ar ise extradurally. The authors report an extradural spinal angiolipoma in a 54-year-old man. Conventional T-1-weighted and T-2-weighted magne tic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated an excessive amount of extrad ural adipose tissue posteriorly, extending from the level of the third to the ninth thoracic vertebra. The signal intensity within the spina l cord was normal. These findings were initially misinterpreted as bei ng of Little clinical significance. When the patient's condition deter iorated, myelography was performed, and extradural compression of the thecal sac was demonstrated, At surgery spinal angiolipoma was confirm ed. The ease with which the MRI features of this lesion can be overloo ked, as well as imaging strategies to avoid this pitfall, are discusse d.