Fact-sheet: Arachnoid cyst of spine
Updated on 03/31/2020 at 9:24 AM
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Definition
Benign condition of uncertain pathophysiology.
Cyst with walls composed of arachnoid. It contains CSF.
Develops from a protrusion of the arachnoid through a dural defect.
The cyst has a neck and communicates with the subarachnoid space.
Origin: congenital? Acquired, post-traumatic? Infectious?
Clinical features
Often asymptomatic but can sometimes lead to severe neurologic sequelae:
- spinal cord compression syndrome.
MRI
- Epidural fluid collection with signal similar to CSF
- T1 hypointense, T2 hyperintense, without contrast enhancement after gadolinium injection
- Often thoracic in location (the most common site)
Management
Surgical treatment: cyst resection and ligation of the neck.