Abstract
The case of a 72-year-old man with a massive spinal arachnoid cyst is presented in this report. Plane X-rays of the lumbar spine showed scalloping of the posterior aspects of the L5 vertebral body. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the T1-, T2-weighted and enhanced signal intensity of the lytic component were similar to the granulation and/or scar tissue. The pathological mechanisms responsible for the production of the cyst and osteolytic lesion are discussed, with a review of literature.
