Spinal extradural meningioma: Report of two cases

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Spinal Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Purely extradural spinal meningiomas are exceptionally rare, posing diagnostic challenges due to their infrequent occurrence and potential to mimic other spinal pathologies like metastases and schwannomas.
• Literature on purely extradural meningiomas is sparse, with most reported cases localized to the cervical and dorsal spine.

Observation:

• The study details two distinct cases of extradural spinal meningiomas.
• Case 1 involved a well-defined nodular growth at the cervicodorsal junction, initially misdiagnosed as a schwannoma preoperatively.
• Case 2 presented a more typical meningioma with both intradural and extradural extension in the upper dorsal spine.

Findings:

• The findings underscore the diagnostic difficulties associated with extradural spinal meningiomas, particularly differentiating them from schwannomas based on preoperative imaging.
• The diverse presentations, ranging from localized nodules to extensive intradural-extradural masses, highlight the varied nature of these rare tumors.

Implications:

• Accurate preoperative diagnosis of extradural spinal meningiomas is crucial for appropriate surgical planning and patient management.
• Increased awareness and consideration of extradural meningiomas in the differential diagnosis of spinal tumors, especially in the cervical and dorsal regions, are warranted.