Tarlov cysts in a 49-year-old woman presenting with bilateral lower-extremity radiculopathy: A case report

Abstract

Tarlov cysts are an uncommon and often incidentally noted source of low back pain in women. Because these cysts can be asymptomatic, they can be overlooked on radiological imaging. This case is of a 49-year-old woman who presented with a chronic history of low back pain and bilateral radiculopathy who on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was found to have multiple Tarlov cysts. This case illustrates the need for large observational studies to show the incidence of Tarlov cysts as a cause of low back pain in women.

Keywords

• Tarlov cysts
• Lumbar radiculopathy
• Low back pain
• Radiological imaging