Unusual presentation of a primary spinal Burkitt's lymphoma

Primary CNS lymphomas are detected with increasing frequency in immunocompe tent and immunodeficient persons. Primary involvement of the spinal roots h as only rarely been reported. The unusual history is described of a patient with a primary spinal Burkitt's lymphoma initially presenting as an Si syn drome showing lymphocytic pleocytosis in the CSF, leading to the misdiagnos is of meningoradiculitis. Repeated spinal MRI disclosed a spinal mass lesio n and histological and immunohistological examination of the tumour confirm ed the diagnosis of spinal Burkitt's lymphoma.