Dorsal cervical spinal arachnoid cyst (Type III) presenting with dorsal column dysfunction: A case report
1a Department of Neurosurgery , Sultan Qaboos University Hospital , Al Khaud , Muscat , Oman.
The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine
|November 10, 2016
Summary
Spinal arachnoid cysts can rapidly expand, causing neurological deficits. This case highlights a dorsal cyst causing posterior column dysfunction due to significant spinal cord compression.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Radiology
Background:
- Spinal arachnoid cysts are typically asymptomatic and found incidentally.
- Cyst expansion can lead to neural compression, causing radiculopathy or myelopathy.
Observation:
- A patient presented with subacute, rapidly progressing posterior column dysfunction.
- Cervical spine imaging revealed a dorsal arachnoid cyst causing significant spinal cord compression and signal changes.
- Vertebral scalloping was absent.
Findings:
- The dorsal arachnoid cyst led to substantial spinal cord compression.
- Rapid expansion of an asymptomatic cyst caused progressive neurological deficits.
- Absence of radiculopathy was noted, consistent with the cyst's dorsal location.
Implications:
- Understanding cyst expansion mechanisms is crucial for diagnosing rapidly progressing neurological deficits.
- Dorsal cyst location influences the clinical presentation, differentiating it from ventral cysts.
- This case underscores the importance of considering spinal arachnoid cysts in the differential diagnosis of myelopathy.
