Scoliosis secondary to ganglioneuroma: a case report and up to date literature review

The use of MRI in the study of patients with idiopathic scoliosis: a systematic review of the literature

Objective. To analyze the frequency of hidden neuraxial pathology in idiopathic scoliosis (IS), to substantiate the need for MRI in IS and to identify promising areas for the use of MRI in the examination of patients with IS.Material and Methods. The literature review was carried out using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Of the 780 papers on the research topic, 65 were selected after removing duplicates and checking for inclusion/exclusion criteria. As a result, 49 original studies were included in the analysis. Level of evidence – II.Results. According to modern literature, the main direction of using MRI in idiopathic scoliosis is the search for predictors of latent pathology of the spinal cord and craniovertebral junction. The frequency of neuraxial pathology in idiopathic scoliosis is 8 % for adolescent IS and 16 % for early IS. The main predictors of neuraxial pathology are male sex, early age of deformity onset, left-sided thoracic curve and thoracic hyperkyphosis. MRI in IS may be a useful addition to radiological diagnostic methods to identify risk factors and to study degenerative changes in the spine.Conclusion. MRI of the spine should be performed in the early stages of IS to detect latent spinal cord tethering. In type I Chiari anomalies, there is a possibility that early neurosurgery can prevent the development of scoliosis. The main signs of latent neuraxial pathology in IS are early progression of spinal deformity, left-sided thoracic curve, male gender and thoracic kyphosis over 40° according to Cobb.MRI can be used as an effective non-invasive tool in research aimed at identifying risk factors for IS, including helping to track early degeneration of intervertebral discs.

Scoliosis: an unusual clinical presentation of paraspinal ganglioneuroma

PURPOSE

To comprehensively present the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies in patients with scoliosis secondary to ganglioneuroma (S-GN).

METHODS

Six patients with S-GN treated surgically at a median age of 12 years were retrospectively reviewed and the median follow-up period was 6 years (4-14 years). The radiological features of GN and the associated scoliosis were evaluated. The surgical strategies and the corresponding outcomes were investigated.

RESULTS

All patients had a delayed diagnosis age of GN than scoliosis (12 vs. 9 years). GN was located at the posterior mediastinum in four patients (66.7%) and at retroperitoneum in two, respectively. Tumor occupancies were frequently detected on the X-ray films for four patients (66.7%), being uniformly on the convexity of the main curve. All patients complained of rapid progressive deformities during the growth period. Five patients (83.3%) received total tumor resections, one accepted partial resection. Deformity correction was implemented for all patients with an average rate of 66.4% on the main curve. No recurrence of the GN was detected for all totally tumor-resected patients at the latest follow-up.

CONCLUSION

S-GN is often misdiagnosed clinically. Paravertebral mass neighboring the apex of scoliosis can be meticulously detected from the X-ray films. Total tumor resection should be aggressively performed if possible. The deformity correction could be satisfactorily obtained and the risk of recurrence of the GN was relatively low.

Lumbar Ganglioneuroma Presenting With Scoliosis

Ganglioneuromas are rare, benign tumors arising from the sympathetic nervous system. The presentation of the tumor is variable and may be associated with scoliosis. Few reports of ganglioneuroma associated with scoliosis- exist and most involve the thoracic spine. Here, we present a 13-year-old female with scoliosis who was found to have a lumbar ganglioneuroma. The patient was treated with a subtotal resection and lumbar spinal fusion to correct her scoliosis in a single-stage operation. The patient's symptoms and scoliosis markedly improved following treatment without any complications. Additionally, we conducted an up-to-date literature review of ganglioneuromas associated with scoliosis that have been published in the last 20 years. We discuss variations in clinical presentation and surgical approach.

Giant intrathoracic ganglioneuroma with scoliosis treated by one-stage posterior resection and scoliosis correction: a case report

Spinal ganglioneuroma occurs mostly in the thoracic spine causing various manifestations including scoliosis that can be misdiagnosed as idiopathic scoliosis. Few reports exist in the literature on the diagnosis and management of scoliosis secondary to huge ganglioneuroma and usually staged treatment is preferred. In this report, we present a 17-year-old female patient presented with back pain, lower limbs numbness, spinal deformity, and shortness of breath. Plain X-rays showed a 50° right thoracic scoliotic curve. MRI and chest CT revealed a huge extra pulmonary mass shifting the mediastinum with intra spinal extension through the left neural foramina compressing the spinal cord. Percutaneous US guided needle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of ganglioneuroma. One-stage posterior instrumented correction of scoliosis, spinal cord decompression, and excision of the whole mass from the mediastinum and the spine through posterior approach was done for the patient with smooth postoperative recovery. Chest CT scan was done 2 years after surgery and excluded any local recurrence.

Paravertebral lipomatous ganglioneuroma with intraspinal extension. Case report and literature review

Lipomatous ganglioneuromas are a rare variant of ganglioneuromas characterized by a mature adipocytic component admixed with a conventional ganglioneuroma component. We present the case of a 34 year old patient with a paravertebral right lesion L1-L4 with intraspinal extension and secondary neurological deficit, who underwent surgery in our hospital. The pathological anatomy showed a yellowish encapsulated neoplasm, which under microscopic evaluation showed areas of ganglioneuroma admixed with areas of mature fat. In the follow up, the patient was asymptomatic, had recovered paresis in the right lower extremity and in the last image control did not present data of lesion recurrence. Fewer than 10 cases of lipomatous ganglioneuromas have been reported in the literature, being this the first paravertebral case wih intraspinal extension and with neurological deficit, hence the interest of this work.

Retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma combined with scoliosis: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Ganglioneuroma (GN) is a rare tumour arising from the sympathetic nervous system. GN is constantly asymptomatic, easily ignored and likely damages other organs during tumour progression.

PATIENT CONCERNS

The case report involved a 21-year-old girl who was admitted to a hospital because of a computed tomography result after her pregnancy examination showed retroperitoneal tumour and scoliosis. The scoliosis was considered as a tumour complication.

DIAGNOSES

The tumour was finally diagnosed as GN by pathological examination.

INTERVENTIONS

We carried out surgical treatment and performed a pathological examination on postoperative tumour specimens.

OUTCOMES

The patient was followed up for 19 months and did not show tumour recurrence. However, the condition of the scoliosis did not improve.

LESSONS

This paper reports a case of GN with scoliosis at the same time. GN is a benign tumour consisting of cells with a special origin. GN grows extensively and leads to different complications. Presently, pathological examination after an operation is the only approach to formulate an exact diagnosis. We should consider the possibility of retroperitoneal tumour, especially GN, if a patient suffers from scoliosis with an unknown cause. Thus, CT and MRI are needed to provide additional information that would help formulate a diagnosis.

Thoracolumbar paravertebral giant ganglioneuroma and scoliosis: a case report and literature review

Paravertebral ganglioneuroma and scoliosis is a rare clinical benign disease. The case we reported is about a 12-year-old girl who was hospitalized due to neoplasm with spinal deformity in the right abdomen for 1 month. Based on a careful preoperative evaluation and found no obvious surgery contraindications, the patient was treated with surgical resection of the tumor and correction of the deformity by surgery. Postoperative pathologic examination confirmed it was a ganglioneuroma. After the operation, the patient recovered well. Her spinal deformity was corrected, and she was 5 cm taller. Complete resection of ganglioneuroma following with a low recurrence rate and a good prognosis, patient does not need further chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other treatments. All follow-up radiographic studies demonstrated no relapse of the tumor in the following 18 months. Combining this case with similar cases at home and aboard and reviewing related literature, we formed conclusions based on the manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this disease and provided treatments for similar cases.

[Scoliosis secondary to tuberculous spondylitis: A case report and discussion of diagnosis]

Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common form of spinal deformity in adolescence. However, secondary causes of scoliosis should always be considered so as to provide appropriate treatment and avoid complications. Additional explorations, such as MRI, are required in the presence of atypical signs. We report a case of spinal tuberculosis, or Pott's disease, misdiagnosed as idiopathic scoliosis, and then present a discussion to help identify the warning signs during the evaluation of scoliosis that might indicate secondary scoliosis and suggest when to perform further radiologic exploration.

Lumbar Spinal Immature Ganglioneuroma with Conus Medullaris Invasion: Case Report

Ganglioneuroma (GN) is a benign rare tumor that originates from neural crest cells. It shares a common histogenic family with ganglioneuroblastoma and neuroblastoma and represents the most benign and differentiated form of the group. The most common locations of the GNs are the mediastinum and retroperitoneum. We report an extremely rare case of lumbar spinal GN with conus medullaris invasion and extradural paraspinal extension. A 10-year-old girl presented with a history of worsening lower-back pain and an intermittent tingling sensation in the left leg. Neurological examination revealed reduced sensation in the left L2-L5 dermatomes. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intra- and extradural mass extending from the D11 to L5 vertebral body level. There was conus medullaris invasion by the tumor. After L1-L5 laminotomies, the patient underwent tumor resection. Histopathological diagnosis was immature GN. GNs occurring within the spinal column are rare and may grow to a large size. Despite the size and the common involvement of both intra- and extraspinal compartments, the prognosis is usually excellent after complete excision using microsurgical techniques.