Epidermal naevus and segmental hypermelanosis associated with an intraspinal mass: overlap between different mosaic neuroectodermal syndromes

Abstract

The epidermal naevus syndrome is a neurocutaneous syndrome characterised by the association of epidermal naevi with central nervous system, skeletal, ocular or cardiovascular abnormalities. We report on a 1.75-year-old boy who presented with spastic diparesis, a partial paresis of the left forearm and macrocephaly. He had a large epidermal naevus along the cervical spine and a segmental hypermelanosis. MRI studies revealed a large intraspinal mass extending from the lower cervical to the upper thoracic spine. The condition of our patient demonstrates the overlap of the epidermal naevus syndrome with well-defined mosaic neuroectodermal phenotypes such as encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis, Feuerstein-Mims syndrome and Proteus syndrome.

Conclusion: we recommend evaluation of all patients with large epidermal naevi, especially in the head and neck region, for the presence of central nervous system abnormalities or neoplasms.