A rare case of hemangioma of infancy presenting as intraspinal hemorrhage

Hemangiomas of infancy (HOIs) are among the most common benign tumors of childhood and classically appear as a vascular stain or small vascular papule at birth. They are unique tumors due to their propensity to proliferate, involute, and finally regress. These lesions can be associated with visceral malformations that have been shown to affect mainly the liver and the gastrointestinal tract, but rarely the spinal cord. The authors report a rare case of a spinal HOI in a 2-month-old infant presenting with quadriplegia due to intratumoral hemorrhage. Following resection of the lesion, the child regained function. This first reported case of spinal HOI suggests another location for hemangiomatosis. Spinal HOI should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute intraspinal hemorrhage in infants.