*46-year-old patient with bilateral lower extremity pain and weakness.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer
Answer: Sequestered disc fragment
Case Discussion:
MR images revealed an abnormal mass-like lesion located in the anterior aspect of the epidural space at L2/3 level. The signal intensity of the lesion was low on T2WI and intermediate on T1WI. The lesion showed a rim contrast enhancement on fat saturated T1WI following the intravenous gadolinium enhancement.
Disc herniation is displacement of intervertebral disc material beyond the limits of the intervertebral disc space.
Disc herniations can be divided into two main types:
• protrusion (base wider than herniation)
• extrusion (base narrower than herniation)
migration
sequestration
If an actual part of disc separates off from the remainder of the disc and sits freely in the spinal canal, this is called a sequestered disc fragment.
References:
1. ASNR spine nomenclature