Cystic schwannoma of the cauda equina mimicking hemangioblastoma

Cystic schwannoma is highly unusual and intraspinal involvement seems to be even more rare. We report a case of intradural lumbar-cystic schwannoma in a 50-year-old man who presented with chronic low-back pain and sciatalgia, which were initially related to a bulging disc. Diagnosis of a tumor origin was suspected two years later on MRI as a hemangioblastoma. The lesion was histologically confirmed to be a schwannoma. Only eight cases of spinal schwannoma with large cyst have been previously reported. Cystic schwannoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lumbar intradural-cystic lesion.