Ossified thoracic spinal meningioma with hematopoiesis: A case report and review of the literature

Meningiomas account for 25% of spinal tumors, and they are often located in the thoracic spine. The ossified subtype is even rarer, and those with hematopoiesis are rarely described. The mechanism of bone formation has not yet been clarified. A case of ossified spinal meningioma with hematopoiesis occurring in a 78-year-old woman is described. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion with a dural tail sign at the T9 level located dorsal to the spinal cord. Computerized tomography revealed a high density lesion, as high as the bone signal. Total resection was performed, and the symptoms improved. Pathological findings revealed many psammoma bodies (PBs), bone formation, and bone marrow with hematopoiesis. Both PBs and bone seemed to be based on the same background of calcified structures. This report is the second dealing with ossified spinal meningioma with hematopoiesis. The hardness of the tumor can make the operation more difficult, so that the operation should be performed carefully to avoid injuring the spinal cord.