Ganglioglioma of the spinal cord in neurofibromatosis type 1

Abstract

The oncologic involvement of the spinal cord in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is not a typical feature of the disease. Here, we present a case of ganglioglioma of the spinal cord in a child with NF1 and try to define if this tumor can be considered coincidental or not. A 4-year-old boy affected by NF1 was diagnosed with a spinal cord-enhancing tumor extending from C4 to D3, with a disappearance in the T2 MRI sequences of the cerebrospinal fluid signal. The patient underwent a subtotal resection. The pathological exam revealed a ganglioglioma. To the best of our knowledge, only 1 other case of spinal cord ganglioglioma has been described in an NF1 patient. We suggest considering ganglioglioma in the differential diagnosis of an NF1 patient with a spinal cord tumor due to its favorable survival rate, especially in relation to the anatomical and surgical issues of this tumor that do not always entail a gross total resection.