Intramedullary Haemangioblastoma of the Spinal Cord Associated With Pial Varicosities Simulating Intradural Angioma

Intramedullary haemangioblastoma of the spinal cord may be associated with overlying pial vari-cosities. Wyburn-Mason (1943) referred to 10 cases in the literature and added four of his own. The degree of development of the varicosities is variable but occasionally the cord is completely obscured by abnormal vessels which may give rise to the radio-logical and operative appearances of intradural venous angioma (Black and Faber, 1935; Wyburn-Mason, cases 53 and 55; Craig and Horrax, 1949). The following case of this type is of practical interest in view of a recent suggestion that more attempts should be made to remove spinal intradural angiomas in order to lessen the dangers of haemorrhage and of cord compression and degeneration (Shephard,