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Serous degeneration of bone marrow mimics spinal tumor

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European Spine Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To present a rare case of serous degeneration of bone marrow which resembles primary spinal tumor or bony metastasis to spine.

Summary of background data

Serous degeneration of bone marrow or gelatinous marrow transformation is a rare disease characterized by focal marrow hypoplasia, fat atrophy, and accumulation of extracellular mucopolysaccharides abundant in hyaluronic acid. Few literature was reviewed and few clinical case was presented.

Methods

Two cases of serous marrow transformation were reported.

Results

In the first case, a 29-year-old man suffered from severe left buttock pain. Bone metastasis was impressed in radiology examinations. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy was performed along with bone biopsy. In the second case, a 49-year-old man presented lower back pain with radiation to bilateral lower legs. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a water-like signal lesion in sacrum. Serous marrow transformation was confirmed pathologically in both cases.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, a case of serous degeneration of bone marrow resembling malignancy has not been reported in the literature. In this report, two cases demonstrate serous transformation of bone marrow mimics spinal tumor.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chih-Wei Sung

  2. Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Kevin Li-Chun Hsieh

  3. Translational Imaging Research Center, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Kevin Li-Chun Hsieh

  4. Division of Oral Pathology, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yun-Ho Lin

  5. School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yun-Ho Lin

  6. Department of Orthopaedics Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chun-Yi Lin, Chian-Her Lee & Yi-Jie Kuo

  7. Department of Orthopaedics Surgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yang-Hwei Tsuang

  8. Department of Orthopaedics Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chian-Her Lee, Yang-Hwei Tsuang & Yi-Jie Kuo

Authors
  1. Chih-Wei Sung
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  2. Kevin Li-Chun Hsieh
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  3. Yun-Ho Lin
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  4. Chun-Yi Lin
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  5. Chian-Her Lee
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  7. Yi-Jie Kuo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yi-Jie Kuo.

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None of the authors has any potential conflict of interest.

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Cite this article

Sung, CW., Hsieh, K.LC., Lin, YH. et al. Serous degeneration of bone marrow mimics spinal tumor. Eur Spine J 26 (Suppl 1), 80–84 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-016-4778-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-016-4778-8

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