Discal cyst of the lumbar spine: a case report

Discal cysts are a rare cause of lumbar radiculopathy. There are only a few reports of this disease in medical literature. The authors describe the case of a 40-year-old man with a lumbar discal cyst that led to radiculopathy. An intraspinal extradural cystic mass was responsible for low and high signal intensities observed in lumbar lesions on T1 and T2 weighted magnetic resonance images. This cyst was a grossly spherical mass with clear serous fluid, which was connected to an adjacent intervertebral disc. Histopathology of the cystic walls revealed fibrous connective tissues without specific cell linings. Clinical symptoms were promptly relieved after surgical resection. Further research on the pathophysiology and treatment of discal cysts are needed.