An intradural extramedullary bronchogenic cyst in the thoracolumbar spine

RATIONALE We report the symptoms beginning with weakness and the clinical courses of a patient who was diagnosed with an intradural extramedullary bronchogenic cyst. PATIENT CONCERNS The patient was a 44-year-old man visited the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for walking difficulties characterized by limping due to muscle weakness of left lower extremity for 5 months and atrophy in left calf muscle. DIAGNOSES Lumbar spine MRI was repeated, since radiating pain in the left hip and posterior thigh with low back pain developed 16 months later. Intraspinal mass of T12 and L1 levels that was not found in the first MRI was newly found in the follow-up MRI. INTERVENTIONS Total tumor removal was conducted with laminectomy. It was finally diagnosed as an intradural extramedullary bronchogenic cyst on the basis of the pathological analysis results. OUTCOMES His left calf circumference was increased compared to before surgery the radiating pain also disappeared. LESSONS If the patient's MRI findings are not correlated with the electrophysiologic and physical examination findings, additional MRI should be accompanied with other tests for an early detection.