Spinal meningeal cysts are diverticula of the arachnoid or dura mater or of the nerve root sheath. They are uncommon, usually asymptomatic and typically found incidentally on MRI.
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Clinical presentation
These cysts are usually asymptomatic, but if they are large, they may cause mass effect and symptoms relating to compression of local structures, e.g. nerve roots.
CSF pulsation can also remodel the surrounding bone, e.g. sacral canal.
Pathology
The cysts contain CSF and have thin walls. They may be intradural or extradural and may contain neural tissue. The spinal meningeal cyst classification uses these features to separate the different type of cysts.
Associations
They have been occasionally associated with connective tissue disorders such as: