Case report reveals surgical excision of a spinal angiolipoma in an elderly man, highlighting MRI diagnostic importance.
Spinal epidural angiolipoma is a rare benign tumor composed of mature adipose tissue and vascular elements. Here, we report the case of an 80-year-old man with progressive gait instability secondary to this tumor. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a thoracic epidural mass with peripheral fatty components and centrally located vascular tissue showing strong contrast enhancement, extending into the right intervertebral foramen. Surgical excision was performed, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of angiolipoma. This case underscores that recognizing the coexistence of adipose and vascular components on Magnetic resonance imaging is critical for preoperative diagnosis of spinal epidural angiolipoma and is essential for appropriate surgical planning.
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Makihara et al. (2026) studied this question.
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