Giant cell tumors of the mobile spine with invasion of adjacent vertebrae: an unusual imaging finding

Background Giant cell tumors of the mobile spine invasion of the adjacent vertebrae are an ignored imaging finding. Methods Nine patients with giant cell tumors of the mobile spine with invasion of the adjacent vertebrae confirmed by pathology were enrolled. Eight patients had pure giant cell tumors (GCTs), while one patient also had an aneurysmal bone cyst. All patients underwent conventional computed tomography, three-dimensional reconstruction, and conventional magnetic resonance imaging, while seven patients also underwent post-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. Results All patients showed GCTs of the mobile spine that arose from the vertebral body and extended to the vertebral arch. The tumors showed soft-tissue attenuation with no evidence of a mineralized matrix. Pathological fracture was seen in five patients. The margin of the original tumor showed partial sclerosis in four patients and involved an adjacent vertebral body with a sclerotic rim in two patients. The tumors showed a homogeneous and similar signal intensity to the normal spinal cord on T1WI (T1-weighted image) in five patients. The cystic area of the tumors was hyperintense on T2WI in the remaining four patients, while one patient showed hemorrhage that was hyperintense on T1WI. The solid components of the GCTs show marked enhancement in all cases, while the cystic area of the tumors was observed without enhancement on contrast-enhanced images in four patients. Bone destruction of the adjacent vertebral body showed a homogeneous signal on T1WI and T2WI and marked enhancement on contrast-enhanced images. Conclusions Giant cell tumors of the mobile spine with invasion into adjacent vertebrae are an unusual imaging finding. Radiologists should be familiar with this imaging characteristic.

A sign of spinal cord stroke. Vertebral body ischemia

Spine cord infarction is a rare neurological disease. The MRI can show T2 hyperintense signals, and these lesions can be associated with a vertebral body lesion, that supports the ischemic etiology. We present a 54 year-old-woman with an acute spinal cord syndrome, with a final diagnosis of spinal cord infarction. The initial MRI showed no abnormalities, but a second MRI showed increased signal intensity in T2 sequences and DWI, with a decreased in ADC maps, all compatible with an ischemic lesion. Moreover, the MRI revealed a T2 hyperintense signal in adjacent vertebral body, compatible with ischemic nature. Spine cord MRI is an important complementary exploration in the diagnostic of myelitis syndrome. Other sequences, such as diffusion, should be included, as well as consider the coexistence of a lesion in the adjacent vertebral body, which can support the ischemic etiology of the symptoms.

Surgical treatment of complete fifth lumbar osteoporotic vertebral burst fracture: A retrospective case report of three patients

Background: Due to its rarity, surgical treatments for a complete fifth lumbar osteoporotic vertebral burst fracture (L5 OVBF) have yet to be well documented as compared to that for osteoporotic vertebral fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. The current case report discusses details of the surgical outcomes following posterior decompression and fusion for a complete L5 OVBF. Case Description: Three women, ranging in age from 69 years to 82 years, were surgically treated for a complete L5 OVBF. Two of these patients were being treated for rheumatoid arthritis. Surgery was performed using the L5 shortening osteotomy or vertebroplasty, with one- or two-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion, and posterior spinal fixation for the L2 or L3 to the pelvis. Although the spinal alignment parameters, which included lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis, T1 pelvic angle, and sagittal vertical axis, were better as compared to that observed before the surgery, these worsened at the final follow-up due to clinical fractures that occurred at the adjacent vertebral body and proximal junctional kyphosis. Compared to preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, postoperative JOA scores were improved and maintained at the final follow-up. Conclusion: Posterior surgery of a complete L5 OVBF led to improvement of both the JOA score and spinal alignment after the surgery. Despite a worsening of the spinal alignment parameters, the JOA score was maintained at the final follow-up.

Selective Chemonucleolysis With Condoliase in Cynomolgus Monkeys

Selective chemonucleolytic effects of condoliase, a glycosaminoglycan degrading enzyme, was investigated histopathologically in cynomolgus monkeys. Condoliase was administered once into the lumber intervertebral disc (IVD), and as a comparative control, chymopapain, a proteolytic enzyme, was administered in a similar manner. Histopathological changes of the IVD and the adjacent vertebral body (VB) were examined at 1 to 26 weeks after administration. Major changes induced by condoliase in the IVD were degenerative and necrotic changes in the nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, cartilaginous endplate (CEP), and epiphyseal growth plate (EGP); focal disappearance of the EGP; and neovascularization and ossification of the CEP. Decreased/necrosis of bone marrow cells with new bone formation was observed in the VB. Cellular regeneration in the IVD was observed as a recovery changes on and after week 4. The changes in the IVD and VB subsided at week 26. Chymopapain induced qualitatively similar but more widely extended changes. The degrees of the changes in the IVD and VB were more severe than those of condoliase, and the changes were exacerbated even at week 26. These results indicated that histopathological changes caused by condoliase were less severe and more selective than those by chymopapain.

How to select the fusion and fixation range of thoracolumbar and lumbar tuberculosis: A retrospective clinical study

Purpose To investigate the clinical data of thoracolumbar and lumbar spinal tuberculosis with diseased and non-diseased intervertebral surgery, evaluate the clinical efficacy of the two surgical methods, and explore how to choose the fusion of fixation range. Methods Among 221 patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar tuberculosis were categorized into two groups. 118 patients were in the diseased intervertebral surgery group (lesion vertebral pedicle fixation, group A) and there were 103 patients in the non-diseased intervertebral surgery group (1 or 2 vertebral fixation groups at the above and below levels of the affected vertebra, group B). Both groups of patients were treated with primary or staging, anterior combined complete lesion removal, bone graft fusion, and internal fixation. By analyzing of clinical data and the clinical efficacy of the two surgical methods in thoracolumbar and lumbar tuberculosis was evaluated. Results The mean follow-up duration was 65months (range 50–68 months). There were no significant differences in laboratory examination, VAS scores, and the Cobb angle correction rate and the angle loss, however, significant differences between the two groups in operation time, blood loss, drainage volume, and transfusion, the diseased intervertebral surgery group was significantly better than the non-diseased intervertebral surgery group. Meanwhile, the bone graft was fused entirely at the last follow-up. Conclusion Under the conditions of strictly grasping the indications for surgery, intervertebral surgery for thoracolumbar and lumbar tuberculosis is safe, effective, and feasible, and it can effectively restore its physiological curvature and reduce the degeneration of the adjacent vertebral body.

Lumbar spine Schmorl's nodes; prevalence in adults with back pain, and their relation to vertebral endplate degeneration

Background In 1927, Schmorl described a focal herniation of disc material into the adjacent vertebral body through a defect in the endplate, named as Schmorl’s node (SN). The aim of the study is to reveal the prevalence and distribution of Schmorl’s nodes (SNs) in the lumbar spine and their relation to disc degeneration disease in Kirkuk city population. Results A cross-sectional analytic study was done for 324 adults (206 females and 118 males) with lower back pain evaluated as physician requests by lumbosacral MRI at the Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kirkuk city, Iraq. The demographic criteria of the study sample were 20–71 years old, 56–120 kg weight, and 150–181 cm height. SNs were seen in 72 patients (22%). Males were affected significantly more than the females (28.8% vs. 18.8%, P = 0.03). SNs were most significantly affecting older age groups. L1–L2 was the most affected disc level (23.6%) and the least was L5–S1 (8.3%). There was neither a significant relationship between SN and different disc degeneration scores (P = 0.76) nor with disc herniation (P = 0.62, OR = 1.4), but there was a significant relation (P = 0.00001, OR = 7.9) with MC. Conclusion SN is a frequent finding in adults’ lumbar spine MRI, especially in males; it is related to vertebral endplate bony pathology rather than discal pathology.

Intra-spinal epidural leakage of bone cement during vertebroplasty of an osteoporotic vertebral fracture: case report and review of literature

<p class="abstract">Vertebral fractures are one of the most common complications of osteoporosis. Prolonged and intractable pain leads to immobilization and significant morbidity. Vertebroplasty is designed primarily to relieve pain, and the procedure is considered when osteoporotic vertebral fracture does not respond to a reasonable period of conservative care. Vertebroplasty has a low complication rate with most common complication being adjacent vertebral body fracture and rare complication due to extra-vertebral cement leakage causing nerve root compression or pulmonary embolism. We report a case of 55 year old lady with osteoporotic D12 wedge compression fracture subjected to vertebroplasty resulting in intraspinal cement leakage noticed intra-operatively. Patient underwent immediate decompression, cement extraction and posterior instrumentation. Postoperative course was uneventful.</p>

Hernia intraesponjosa de Schmörl sintomática. [Symptomatic intraosseous Schmörl herniation]

Las hernias discales intraesponjosas vertebrales o nódulos de Schmörl consisten en una herniación o una extrusión del núcleo pulposo del disco intervertebral a través del platillo vertebral hacia el cuerpo adyacente. Suelen asociarse a deformidades vertebrales, como la enfermedad de Scheuermann, o a enfermedades reumáticas, como la espondilitis anquilopoyética. En general, son hallazgos casuales y cuadros asintomáticos; son pocos los casos publicados de nódulos sintomáticos. Su aparición estaría relacionada con un platillo vertebral debilitado por traumatismo o estrés repetido. Cuando el nódulo es agudo o reciente, puede ser difícil diferenciar la degeneración benigna de una infiltración maligna o una infección. Presentamos un caso inusual de un nódulo de Schmörl doloroso en un hombre sin antecedentes de relevancia, que enmascaró una lesión metastásica de carcinoma pancreático a nivel lumbar. Se realiza una revisión bibliográfica. ABSTRACTIntraosseous disc herniation –or Schmörl nodes (SN)– are a herniation or prolapse of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc through the vertebral plate and into the adjacent vertebral body. They are usually associated with vertebral deformities, suchas Scheuermann’s disease, or rheumatic diseases, such as ankylopoietic spondylitis. In general, they are spontaneous and asymptomatic findings, and there are only a few reported cases of symptomatic nodes. The etiology is supposedly related to a weakened spinal plate due to trauma or repeated stress. When the node is acute or recent, it can be difficult to differentiate a benign degeneration from a malignant infiltration or infection. In this paper, we discuss the unusual case of a painful Schmörl node in a man with no relevant history and a masked metastatic lumbar spinal tumor originated from pancreatic cancer. We performed a literature review.