Open AccessHemangiopericytoma invading the craniovertebral junction: First reported case and review of the literature
Author(s) -
Doniel Drazin,
Faris Shweikeh,
Serguei Bannykh,
J. Patrick Johnson
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of craniovertebral junction and spine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.38
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 0976-9285
pISSN - 0974-8237
DOI - 10.4103/0974-8237.121622
Subject(s) - medicine , lesion , hemangiopericytoma , medullary cavity , radiosurgery , intramedullary rod , histopathology , occiput , radiology , spinal cord neoplasm , surgery , radiography , magnetic resonance imaging , radiation therapy , pathology
Occurrence of hemangiopericytoma (HPC) in the central nervous system is rare. Spinal HPCs with intramedullary involvement are even more unusual. We present a case of a craniovertebral intradural HPC with both extra- and intra-medullary extensions. Though the patient presented with vague cervical symptoms, imaging was indicative of an intradural lesion from the occiput to C4 and a second smaller, subclinical lesion, at the T2-3 level. He underwent gross total surgical resection of the craniovertebral lesion and did well post-operatively. The thoracic lesion was treated with radiosurgery and the patient is neurologically at baseline 5 years later. Gross total resection of HPCs is the recommended treatment when possible. Histopathology is crucial for diagnosis due to both its rarity and similar characteristics to other tumors on physical and radiographic evaluations. Recognizing that these uncommon tumors can occur with both extra-medullary and intra-medullarly locations are important for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Future studies using national surgical databases that contain histology will be needed to understand the long-term clinical outcomes.