MRI Findings of Spinal Angiomyolipoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

• Published in: Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology Vol. 76; no. 1; pp. 67 - 72
• Main Authors: Lee, Sang A, Jeon, Young Wook, Kim, Myung Soon, Jung, Soon Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Korean Society of Radiology 2017; 대한영상의학회
• Subjects: angiolipoma; angiomyolipoma; epidural neoplasms; magnetic resonance imaging; spinal canal; 방사선과학
• ISSN: 1738-2637; 2288-2928; 2951-0805
• DOI: 10.3348/jksr.2017.76.1.67

Spinal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare disease. It is often reviewed with spinal angiolipoma. Both are composed of vascular and mature adipose elements. However, only AML contains broader array of mesenchymal component. They are accounting for 0.14% to 1.2% of spinal tumors. They appear as fat containing hypervascular tumor located at epidural space of thoracic spine. Spinal AML is more frequently infiltrative and ofted occurs more ventrally than angiolipoma. Previous studies have employed conventional radiograph, myelogram, and CT scan for spinal AML studies. Recently, MRI has been used for spinal AML in a few studies. Here, we describe a case of typical thoracic spinal AML with a review of its MRI findings and other differential diagnosis for epidural spinal mass with similar characteristics.