Atypisch gelegen Tarlov-cysten kunnen typische ziektebeelden imiteren

Abstract

Tarlov cysts with an atypical localization can cause typical clinical symptoms A 35-year-old patient presented with numbness of the fingertips, especially of the left middle finger. The initial working diagnosis was the carpal tunnel syndrome. The electromyography was, however, negative. An MRI of the cervical spine revealed multiple perineural cysts, 1 of them causing complaints as a result of its localization at the left C7 nerve root. The proposed treatment was conservative with oral corticosteroids, but transforaminal injections and excisions are also reported in the literature as possible treatment options. Cervical perineural cysts are an underdiagnosed pathology. They are the cervical correlates of the perineural cysts in the sacral region, also known as ‘Tarlov cysts’. Further investigation on the prevalence, treatment and correlation with the symptoms is necessary.