IATROGENIC SPINAL EPIDERMOID TUMOR-ASSOCI ATED WITH TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS - A DIAGNOSTIC PIT FALL

We present a case of spinal epidermoid tumour that was probably caused by lumbar punctures. The tumour was detected on MRI in a child with t uberous sclerosis complaining of atypical low back pain. Preoperativel y the tumour was considered to be a cystic astrocytoma of ependymoma o f the conus terminalis. The association of tuberous sclerosis with a s pinal tumour is rare but has been recorded in the literature [2, 7, 8] . The diagnosis was an epidermoid tumour (E.T.). The MRI appearances w ere unsural for a spinal ET : the signal intensity changes were differ ent from those reported in the literature and the presence of calcific ation and cavitation has not yet been reported. This case represents a diagnostic pitfall, since both entities were unrelated.