Spinal tumors in coexisting degenerative spine disease--a differential diagnostic problem

European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
Wolfgang BörmJürgen Klasen

Abstract

The clinical presentation of spinal tumors is known to vary, in many instances causing a delay in diagnosis and treatment, especially with benign tumors. Neck or back pain and sciatica, with or without neurological deficits, are mostly caused by degenerative spine and disc disease. Spinal tumors are rare, and the possibility of concurrent signs of degenerative changes in the spine is high. We report a series of ten patients who were unsuccessfully treated for degenerative spine disease. They were subsequently referred for operative treatment to our department, where an initial diagnosis of a tumor was made. Two patients had already been operated on for disc herniations, but without long-lasting effects. In eight patients the diagnosis of a tumor was made preoperatively. In two cases the tumor was found intraoperatively. All patients showed radiological signs of coexisting degenerative spine disease, making diagnosis difficult. MRI was the most helpful tool for diagnosing the tumors. A frequent symptom was back pain in the recumbent position. Other typical settings that should raise suspicion are persistent pain after disc surgery and neurological signs inconsistent with the level of noted degenerative disease. Tumor extirpation...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 29, 2005·European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·Robert C Mulholland
Jan 1, 2014·European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·David BellutFrançois Porchet
Jun 10, 2008·Journal of Clinical Neuroscience : Official Journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia·Minori KatoKunio Takaoka
Oct 6, 2010·Journal of Clinical Nursing·Lynn KilbrideRobin Grant
Dec 27, 2005·Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery·Marko BrinarCharles M Poser
Dec 16, 2017·European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·Xiaojian HuYue Wang
Mar 2, 2013·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Nicholas HenschkeLes Irwig
Sep 25, 2015·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Siew Hwa LeeLynn Kilbride

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