Intramedullary astrocytoma presenting as spinal muscular atrophy

We present a 6-year-old patient with a spinal cord tumor who had been followed with the diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy since the age of 23 months. Reasons for reevaluating the diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy were the early onset of scoliosis, the slight asymmetry in weakness of extremities, and the appearance of urinary retention in the last 3 days. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a very long, intramedullary tumor extending from the level of the seventh cervical segment to the conus medullaris, later reported to be a grade I astrocytoma. We therefore recommend that magnetic resonance imaging, a noninvasive and sensitive technique for intraspinal pathologies, be performed in every patient with an atypical form of spinal muscular atrophy.