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Case Reports
. 2021 Dec 27;13(12):e20753.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.20753. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Evidence for the Vascular Origin of Benign Enhancing Foramen Magnum Lesions via Intraoperative Photographs: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Johannes Rosskopf  1   2 , Bernd Schmitz  1   2 , Meinrad Beer  2 , Andrej Pala  3 , Soung Yung Kim  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Evidence for the Vascular Origin of Benign Enhancing Foramen Magnum Lesions via Intraoperative Photographs: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Johannes Rosskopf et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

A small, benign enhancing lesion posterior to the intracranial vertebral artery at the foramen magnum is a recently described image-based entity and believed to represent varix or ganglion. We report on an individual who underwent surgery due to a hybrid neurofibroma/schwannoma of the trigeminal nerve and additionally presented a small gadolinium-enhancing lesion in the right spinal canal at the level of the craniocervical junction (CCJ). The intraoperative finding of this enhancing lesion most likely represents the lateral internal vertebral venous plexus which does not require follow up or surgical excision.

Keywords: benign enhancing lesion; foramen magnum lesion; high signal lesion; intraoperative photographs; vascular structure.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Case report of a benign enhancing foramen magnum lesion with intraoperative photographs
On axial T1 volumetric non-enhanced (A) and postcontrast imaging (B) benign enhancing foramen magnum lesion (arrow) adjacent to the vertebral artery (arrowhead). The Hounsfield unit of this structure was 41 on non-enhanced brain CT (C). Images of surgical microscope (D and E). By use of a navigation pointer (D, asterisk) the benign enhancing foramen magnum lesion was identified as a nodular structure (D, arrow). The venous appearing structure was observed and the dura mater was opened. Neither a benign mass like a ganglion or a malign mass like a metastasis was found. Venous bleeding instead occurred (E).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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