Sparganosis mimicking an intramedullary tumor of the cervical cord

Abstract

Sparganosis is a rare parasitic infection caused by the migrating plerocercoid larva of the tapeworm Spirometra mansoni that rarely affects the central nervous system. When sparganosis involves the spinal cord, it often affects the thoracic area. Here we report a patient with sparganosis mimicking an intramedullary tumor of the cervical cord. A 51-year-old male presented with slowly progressive paresthesias in all extremities and left-sided motor weakness. MRI of the spinal cord revealed an enhancing lesion from C1 to C4 that was suggestive of an intramedullary tumor. The results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of the cerebrospinal fluid were consistent with infection with Spirometra mansoni, and the larvae were surgically removed. Sparganosis may mimic an intramedullary tumor of the spinal cord and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a cervical cord mass with an uncertain course.