Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach to a Neuroenteric Cyst in the Lumbar Spine

We present a case of a 48-year-old woman who began experiencing excruciating lower back pain that radiated down her right leg and got worse in 15 days. An intradural cyst at L2, which compressed the conus medullaris and cauda equina, was found to be T2 hyperintense and T1 isointense on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Upon histological inspection, a well-defined ovoid cyst was observed and identified as a neuroenteric (NE) cyst, which was somewhat brighter than cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Cyst excision and L2 laminectomy provided her with significant pain relief and a smooth recovery. She had completely recovered from her symptoms by the two-week follow-up. This case demonstrates the importance of MRI in diagnosing NE cysts and the efficacy of surgical removal in producing favorable results.