Incidental Primary Intradural Carcinoid Tumor in a Patient with Lumbar Radiculopathy

Background: Carcinoid tumors are neuroendocrine neoplasms derived from enterochromaffin cells. Central nervous system involvement is rare. The reported cases include metastases to brain or spinal cord, and primary skeletal or extradural disease resulting in compressive myeloradiculopathy. There are 2 previously reported cases of primary intradural extramedullary carcinoid tumor, presenting with compressive symptoms. We report the first case of primary incidental intradural extramedullary carcinoid tumor.

Case description: A 68-year-old man was complaining of a 2-month history of left-sided back pain and sciatica; however, he presented with acutely worse symptoms of severe left sciatica. There was no sphincter dysfunction nor power deficit on examination. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the lumbar spine revealed an L4-5 central disk protrusion causing left L5 nerve root compression, and a heterogeneous enhancing intradural mass at the L2-3 level displacing the cauda equina. An L4-5 microdiscectomy followed by an L2-3 laminectomy and resection of the intradural mass was performed. There was a postoperative left S1 paresthesia that was managed medically; however, the postoperative period was unremarkable. A postoperative MRI of the lumbar spine showed complete resection of the mass. A staging scan revealed an incidental thyroid nodule; however, there was no other disease burden. Histopathology of the resected specimen revealed a primary spinal carcinoid tumor.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of incidental primary intradural spinal carcinoid tumor. Even though intradural spinal carcinoid tumors are exceedingly rare, they should be included in the differential diagnosis of enhancing intradural lesions.