Sacral radiculopathy secondary to multicentric osteosarcoma.

STUDY

DESIGN

A case of multicentric osteosarcoma presenting with sacral radiculopathy is reported.

OBJECTIVE

To present unusual clinical and radiologic findings of multicentric osteosarcoma.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Multicentric osteosarcoma is a rare variant of osteosarcoma. To the authors' knowledge, no cases of multicentric osteosarcoma presenting as sacral radiculopathy have been reported previously.

METHODS

A 14-year-old boy had a large sacral tumor extending into the spinal canal, which was found to account for the initial symptoms, which mimicked those of herniated nucleus pulposus. At diagnosis, a bone survey showed multiple foci of osteosarcoma in the long bones.

RESULTS

The patient was treated with chemotherapy, but died of the disease 8 months after the initial presentation.

CONCLUSION

Multicentric osteosarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis for a pediatric patient with low back pain and sciatica.