Primary spinal angiosarcoma

Primary angiosarcoma of the spine is rare. To our knowledge, primary angiosarcoma in the posterior element of the spine has not been reported previously. A 39-year-old man suffered progressive numbness and paresis of the bilateral lower limbs. Neuroimaging showed a large dorsal extradural tumor compressing the spinal cord at the T11 level with bony destruction of the left foramen and posterior elements. Spinal angiography revealed a hypervascular tumor in the left T11 region. Successful preoperative endovascular embolization, laminectomy and removal of the tumor were performed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.