Primary spinal cord glioblastoma multiforme presenting with transverse myelitis

Abstract

Primary spinal cord tumors are rarely encountered in childhood period. Ependymomas and pilocytic astrocytomas comprise the majority of spinal cord tumors in children. Spinal glioblastoma multiforme (GM) (grade IV astrocytoma) is a rare clinical entity accounting for only 1-3% of all pediatric intramedullary tumors. We report a 3- year-8- month-old male with primary spinal cord GM who presented with back pain, paraparesis, gait disturbance and loss of sphincter control and initially diagnosed as transverse myelitis. [Cukurova Med J 2014; 39(3.000): 606-610]

Keywords

• Spinal cord tumors
• glioblastoma multiforme
• transverse myelitis
• childhood