Lumbar Spinal Tumor Classification [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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====== Lumbar Spinal Tumor Classification ======

=== 1. By Anatomical Location ===
Spinal tumors are generally classified as:

^ Location ^ Description ^ Common Examples ^
| **Extradural** | Outside the dura mater (often vertebral) |  * Metastases (most common)\\ * Vertebral hemangioma\\ * Chordoma |
| **Intradural Extramedullary** | Inside dura but outside spinal cord | * Schwannoma\\ * Meningioma\\ * Myxopapillary ependymoma (cauda equina)\\ * Neurofibroma |
| **Intramedullary** | Within the spinal cord (rare in lumbar due to absence of cord) | * Very rare in lumbar spine\\ * Usually not present below conus medullaris |

=== 2. By Origin or Histology ===

^ Type ^ Description ^ Notes ^
| **Primary benign tumors** | Arise from nerve roots or meninges | Schwannoma, meningioma, hemangioblastoma |
| **Primary malignant tumors** | Originate in spinal structures | Ependymoma (esp. myxopapillary in cauda equina), astrocytoma |
| **Metastatic tumors** | Most common spinal tumors overall | Breast, prostate, lung, kidney metastases |
| **Tumors of nerve roots (cauda equina)** | Affect lumbar nerve roots | Often cause radiculopathy, incontinence, weakness |

📌 Special Case: [[Cauda Equina Tumor]]s 

  * Typically **intradural extramedullary**
  * Common histologies:
    * Schwannoma
    * Ependymoma
    * Neurofibroma
  * Symptoms:
    * Back pain
    * Sciatica
    * Saddle anesthesia
    * Bowel/bladder dysfunction