Evidence for the Vascular Origin of Benign Enhancing Foramen Magnum Lesions via Intraoperative Photographs: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

A small, benign enhancing lesion posterior to the intracranial vertebral artery at the foramen magnum is a recently described image-based entity and believed to represent varix or ganglion. We report on an individual who underwent surgery due to a hybrid neurofibroma/schwannoma of the trigeminal nerve and additionally presented a small gadolinium-enhancing lesion in the right spinal canal at the level of the craniocervical junction (CCJ). The intraoperative finding of this enhancing lesion most likely represents the lateral internal vertebral venous plexus which does not require follow up or surgical excision.