Steroid Induced Spinal Epidural LipomatosisAn Imaging Diagnosis

Abstract

Spinal epidural lipomatosis is a rare condition that occurs due to pathological overgrowth of normal spinal extradural fat with subsequent canal narrowing and cord impingement. The condition may be idiopathic or iatrogenic. A strong aetiological association with prolonged exogenous steroid administration has been described. On the other hand, obesity is known to be a cause of idiopathic spinal epidural lipomatosis. We present the radiological picture that led to the diagnosis of iatrogenic epidural lipomatosis induced by exogenous steroid administration in young child post-meningitis. Present case is unusual because exogenous steroid administration that led to abnormal fat proliferation was one time for a short duration of less than a week, unlike other cases reported in literature where epidural lipomatosis has developed in patients on long term steroid therapy.

Keywords

• cord compression
• epidural fat deposition
• iatrogenic
• magnetic resonance imaging