Solitary fibrous tumour with intramedullary component: case report and review of the literature.

Solitary fibrous tumours (SFTs) are rare WHO grade I mesenchymal neoplasms that were first described in the visceral pleura. A wide variety of locations of SFT have been reported but only twelve cases of intramedullary solitary fibrous tumour. We report a case of thoracic spinal cord SFT. A 49-year-old woman presented with clinical signs of dorsal myelopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intradural mass at level T9-T10 which showed imaging features consistent both for an intra- and an extramedullary location of a solid tumour. Imaging findings were confirmed during surgery which was successful in resecting the extramedullary component. The intramedullary component could only be partially resected. Solitary fibrous tumour is a rare pathological entity in the central nervous system. The course of intramedullary SFT is unknown and careful long-term follow-up is recommended.