J Korean Soc Spine Surg.  2015 Dec;22(4):183-185. 10.4184/jkss.2015.22.4.183.

Brain Tumor Mimicking Cervical Spinal Disease: A Case Report

• Kim TK
• Kang CH
• Lee SJ

• KMID: 2150547
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4184/jkss.2015.22.4.183

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Case report.
OBJECTIVES
To report a case of cerebellar tumor mimicking cervical spinal disease with neck pain for one year. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Neck pain is one of the most common symptoms of cervical spinal disease. Neck pain in the cervical spine is usually accompanied by radiculopathic or myelopathic symptoms. Pain aggravated with neck motion is another point of differentiation. However, the differential diagnosis of neck pain is not always easy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A 47-year-old woman presented with neck pain, without other symptoms of radiculopathy or myelopathy. The neck pain was not position-dependent and had exacerbated 1 week previously. Cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a brain tumor in the cerebellum.
RESULTS
The patient underwent surgical craniotomy and tumor resection. The neck pain improved after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS
If neck pain cannot be explained by cervical pathological conditions, the possibility of other causes, including brain pathology, should be considered.

Keyword

Neck pain; Brain tumor; Cervical spinal disease

MeSH Terms

Brain Diseases
Brain Neoplasms*
Brain*
Cerebellar Neoplasms
Cerebellum
Craniotomy
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Middle Aged
Neck
Neck Pain
Radiculopathy
Spinal Cord Diseases
Spinal Diseases*
Spine

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and brain MRI.(A) T2 sagittal cervical MRI showed no cervical abnormality, (B) T2 sagittal cervical MRI showed high signal intensity in the cerebellum and surrounding edema, (C) T2 axial brain MRI showed a left cerebellar mass with high signal intensity, (D) T2 axial brain MRI showed a left cerebellar mass with high signal intensity and surrounding edema.

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