Case 041

History/Physical

History/physical:

35-year-old right-handed male.

Progressive low back pain.

Progressive bilateral leg weakness.

The posterior elements at L5-S3 are missing (arrowheads). There is prominent fat (*) in the spinal canal which communicates with the subcutaneous fat through this bone defect. There is a small syrinx (arrow) in the low-lying conus medullaris.

The fatty lesion in the spinal canal is compressing the cauda equina (arrows).

Diagnosis: Lipoma

Large collections of cells with generous clear cytoplasm (adipocytes) bounded by thin fibrovascular septae.

Higher magnification of benign adipocytes (*) and thin septae.