Thoracic Spinal Epidural Angiolipoma: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

AIM: Spinal angiolipoma is a benign uncommon neoplasm composed of mature lipocytes admixed with abnormal blood vessels, and accounts for only 0.14-1.2% of all spinal tumors. MATERIAL and METHODS: Retrospective data analysis. RESULTS: We report two cases of a 64-year-old woman and a 65-year-old man with thoracic myelopathy due to spinal angiolipoma. Magnetic resonance imaging showed isointensity on T1-weighted imaging and hyperintensity on 12-weighted imaging and enhance with gadolinium administration. In one case, angiography elucidated the vascularity of the tumor and the relationship with concomitant hemangioma. Laminoplasty was performed to achieve tumor resection, and the postoperative course was uneventful with neurological improvement. Histopathological examination of the resected tumors revealed angiolipomas. CONCLUSION: Although extremely rare, thoracic spinal epidural angiolipoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of thoracic spinal lesions. Prognosis after surgical management of this lesion is favorable. Angiography was useful for preoperative evaluation of vascularity and the relationship with concomitant tumors.