Spinal myxomas: review of a rare entity

Intramuscular myxomas are rare, benign mesenchymal tumours, occurring predominantly in large skeletal muscles as large, slow-growing and painless masses. Spinal occurrence is rare, and may present incidentally, or diagnosed via localized symptoms secondary to local infiltration of surrounding structures. Differential diagnosis based on imaging includes sarcomas, meningiomas and lipomas. We discuss two contrasting cases presenting with well-circumscribed cystic paraspinal lesions indicative of an infiltrative tumour and discuss the radiological and histological differences that distinguish myxomas from similar tumours. Surgical resection of the tumour was performed in both cases, however one patient required surgical fixation due to bony erosion secondary to tumour infiltration. Immuno-histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a cellular myxoma. Follow up imaging at 6 months confirmed no symptomatic or tumour recurrence in both cases. Histological analysis is the definitive means for diagnosis to differentiate myxomas from other tumours. Recurrence is rare if full resection is achieved.