# 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.

## Key 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.