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Spinal angiolipoma: etiology, imaging findings, classification, treatment, and prognosis

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Abstract

Purpose

To summarise our experience treating patients with spinal angiolipomas (SAs) and to evaluate factors relating to its prognosis.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients diagnosed with SAs who received surgical treatment from January 2001 to February 2013.

Results

Twenty-one patients were described. We divide SAs into two types: “intraspinal” and “dumbbell-shaped”. The former were further subclassified as “with lipomatosis” and “without lipomatosis”. Overweight people are more likely to get the “with lipomatosis” type which needs different surgical strategy and/or a diet therapy to get better outcomes.

Conclusion

Diagnosis of SAs should be made with reference to clinical, radiological, and pathological findings. Application of different methods is needed to treat SAs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49. North Garden Street, HaiDian District, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China

    Yu Si, Zhenyu Wang, Guozhong Lin & Tao Yu

  2. Pathology Department, Peking University Health and Science Center, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Yi Pan

Authors
  1. Yu Si
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  2. Zhenyu Wang
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  3. Yi Pan
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  4. Guozhong Lin
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  5. Tao Yu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhenyu Wang.

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Si, Y., Wang, Z., Pan, Y. et al. Spinal angiolipoma: etiology, imaging findings, classification, treatment, and prognosis. Eur Spine J 23, 417–425 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-013-3073-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-013-3073-1

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