[Spinal cord compression caused by metastasis of soft tissue hepatocarcinoma]

More than 90% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arise in a chronical hepatitis. When HCC is diagnosed, most of the patients have symptoms in relation to cirrhosis of the liver. Spread metastases are not frequent and the extension to soft tissues is exceptional. We reported a 55 year old patient who had alcoholic cirrhosis and HCC with quickly development. The onset was a spinal cord compression due to soft tissues epidural metastases, seated at paravertebral zone. Plain radiographs and radionuclide bone scans were normal; diagnosis was achieved by magnetic resonance imaging and fine-needle aspiration cytology of the tumor. We have found no bibliographic reference on spinal cord compression due to soft tissues metastases from HCC. We want to point out the importance of including soft tissues metastases in differential diagnosis for radiculopathies with normal radiography and radionuclide scanning in patients at risk, considering also patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.