Primary intramedullary spinal cord lymphoma: report of a case

A case of primary intramedullary spinal cord malignant lymphoma is described. The patient was a 24-year-old female with a preceding history of a lupus-erythematosus-like disorder. The presenting symptom of the spinal cord tumor was spastic paresis of the lower extremities. Radiological examinations including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spinal cord revealed an intramedullary tumor from levels C2 to T6. A decompressive laminectomy was performed with the pathological diagnosis of poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma with T-cell surface marker. Postoperative cerebrospinal radiation up to 40.5 Gy was performed. The patient is alive without disease 18 months after completion of the therapy. MRI proved to be a very useful method for evaluation of the response to therapy and for follow-up. Primary involvement of the spinal cord with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is unusual and this is the ninth case of primary intramedullary spinal cord lymphoma reported.