Clinics in diagnostic imaging (68). Intradural extramedullary spinal paraganglioma

Paragangliomas rarely present as spine tumours. The correct diagnosis is generally not suspected pre-operatively and initial imaging is often non-specific. A 36-year-old man with low back pain, and progressive leg numbness and weakness, was found to have an expansile intradural extramedullary spinal tumour on radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging. Surgery revealed a paraganglioma. The features of spinal paraganglioma and differential diagnosis of intradural extramedullary tumours are discussed.