Case report: A cystic capillary hemangioma located at the conus medullaris mimicking hemangioblastoma

TL;DR

A rare case of a spinal capillary hemangioma was mistaken for a hemangioblastoma due to similar MRI features.

Contribution

This is the first reported case of a spinal capillary hemangioma mimicking a cystic hemangioblastoma.

Findings

MRI findings initially suggested a cystic hemangioblastoma.

Surgical and pathological analysis confirmed the lesion was a capillary hemangioma.

This case highlights diagnostic challenges in distinguishing similar spinal cord lesions.

Abstract

Capillary hemangiomas, usually found in skin and mucosal tissues, are rarely encountered within the spinal cord, presenting a significant diagnostic challenge. We report a rare case of intradural extramedullary capillary hemangioma at the conus medullaris in a 66-year-old female patient. Our initial diagnosis leaned towards a cystic hemangioblastoma based on MRI findings due to the presence of cystic formation with an enhanced mural nodule. However, surgical exploration and subsequent pathological examination revealed the lesion as a capillary hemangioma. To the authors’ knowledge, this case may represent the first documented instance of a spinal capillary hemangioma that mimics a cystic hemangioblastoma.

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