Oncogenous osteomalacia and myopericytoma of the thoracic spine: a case report.

STUDY DESIGN

A case report.

OBJECTIVE

To illustrate a rare case of oncogenous osteomalacia caused by a spinal thoracic myopericytoma.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Osteomalacia related to a tumor is well known. The cause of the disorder is usually a highly vascularized, benign tumor of mesenchymal origin. Location of the tumor in the spine is very rare. Removal of the tumor is followed by resolution of osteomalacia.

METHODS

Diagnosis of oseomalacia was established on the presence of cardinal clinical, biologic, and radiologic features of osteomalacia. Localization of the tumor at T5 and T6 levels was obtained by magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical treatment consisted in a circumferential correction-fusion with hemivertebrectomy of T5 and T6 and tumor removal.

RESULTS

Tumor removal was rapidly followed by disappearance of the clinical symptoms of osteomalacia, and by correction of hypophosphatemia. At 2-years follow-up, no recurrence of the tumor was detectable on imaging studies-the correction fusion remained stable. Histologically, the tumor was classified as a myopericytoma. There was no relapse of the clinical features of osteomalacia. However, secondary recurrence of the biologic markers due to an incomplete tumor removal was disclosed.

CONCLUSION

Removal of the tumor was followed by healing of the clinical features of osteomalacia, demonstrating the causal connection between the myopericytoma and the osteopathy.