Spinal solitary fibrous tumor: seventh reported case and review of the literature

We present the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of a solit ary fibrous tumor in the spinal cord. This case is the seventh spinal solit ary fibrous tumor in the literature. The tumor caused clinical symptoms in a 70-year-old female, which indicated compression of the spinal cord. Magne tic resonance imaging showed an intradural extramedullary mass at T3 verteb ral level. Surgically, the tumor was firm, in an intradural extramedullary location and attached to the dura, Histologically, the tumor was composed o f spindle cells in a collagen-rich matrix but exhibited regional variations . CD34 and vimentin were diffusely positive during immunohistochemical stai n testing. The tumor displayed no positive staining for epithelial membrane antigen, cyrokeratin, S-100 protein, smooth muscle actin or desmin. The Ki -67 labeling index was low. Solitary fibrous tumors have been found in a va riety of locations suggesting that a solitary fibrous tumor has a mesenchym al origin. This rare tumor should be considered in the differential diagnos is of spinal tumors.