Primary intradural extramedullary spinal Burkitt's lymphoma mimicking a nerve sheath tumor: a case report

Spinal involvement in lymphomas is often associated with advanced disease. Primary spinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a rare entity. A 47-year-old male presented with a history of neck pain followed by progressive quadriparesis and bowel bladder involvement over a 5-month period. The magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of an intradural extramedullary lesion at the C1-C2 vertebra level. A surgical excision was done and the histopathology revealed atypical lymphoid cells, which are immunopositive for CD45, CD20, MUM-1, and BCL6, while negative for BCL2, EBV (LMP-1 and CISH), Cyclin D1 and confirmed the diagnosis of Burkitt's lymphoma. The patient received chemotherapy in the form of CODOX-M/IVAC (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, high-dose methotrexate/ifosfamide, etoposide, high-dose cytarabine) regimen. Primary spinal intradural extramedullary Burkitt's lymphoma is a rare diagnosis that may often be difficult to differentiate radiologically from other causes of intradural extramedullary lesions. A thorough histological examination is warranted in such cases.