Spinal tumors in children

[Pediatric spinal tumors]

Pediatric spinal tumors are rare and manifest frequently with unspecific symptoms, frequently resulting in delayed diagnosis. Many spinal tumor entities in children and adults are similar, but the lesions demonstrate a different prevalence and sometimes a different molecular genetic profile in children. For radiological evaluation of spinal tumor lesions, it is helpful to define the affected anatomical compartment. Important intradural pediatric tumor entities are astrocytomas, ependymomas, nerve sheath tumors, and liquorgenic metastases of intracranial neoplasms. Extradural masses are mostly primary tumors originating from osseous elements of the spine. Bone metastases are rare in children and can occur, for example, in neuroblastoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most important noninvasive method for radiological spinal tumor evaluation.

Intramedullary Spinal Cystic Lesions Mimicking Cavernoma with Spontaneous Myelum Hemorrhage in Children: A Case Report

Background: Intramedullary spinal masses is a rare yet devastating and challenging. One of the biggest difficulty is to reveal the mass type and feature, thus determine the definitive treatment. Despite its difficulties, many controversies persist regarding diagnosis and management.  Case Presentation: We report a case of 6 years old female came with gradual right limb weakness for 1 week before admission. It preceded by neck stiffness and for 2 weeks ago. Radiological examination revealed intradural intramedullary mass suggesting a cavernoma at VC1-C2 and VTh12-L1 level. The histopathological results shows unspecified hematoma. Conclusions: Intramedullary tumors in pediatric population is rare and can mimic any other mass lesion. MRI is the mainstay diagnostic tool of this patient. Complete surgical resection is the main goal of treatment, but the histopathologic features is the most important predictor of the functional outcome.

Nuclear Medicine in the diagnosis of pathologies of the spine: role of hybrid imaging

Clinical problems in the human spine are still common in our society, often causing pain and can also limit movement. Back pain is a very common clinical entity, although difficult to diagnose due to its multifactorial nature. There are multiple processes that can alter the structure of the spine, injure vertebrae and/or the surrounding tissue. For the study of the spine, image diagnosis is essential, and within this, molecular hybrid techniques play an important role by providing us with an image of functional and morphological fusion. Among these, SPECT/CT is key in the diagnosis of traumatic and stress pathology, allowing us to locate hidden vertebral fractures, and is also very useful in degenerative and post-surgical pathology. On the other hand, PET/CT with 18F-FDG also plays an important role in the management and monitoring of infectious and oncological processes. This review describes the application of these hybrid techniques in the different pathologies of the spine and the findings of their images, being very useful for the diagnostic assessment and therapeutic management of the patient.