Foramen Magnum Tumors

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Abstract
Six patients with benign tumors near the foramen magnum underwent many months of inappropriate medical, surgical, and chiropractic therapy. The lesions were misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, syringomyelia, ruptured disc, cervical spondylosis, and several other conditions. Four of the six patients had myelograms that did not demonstrate the tumors. The complex anatomy of the cervicomedullary junction partially explains the difficulty in diagnosis. A coexistent lesion or history of trauma may divert the physician's attention away from the cervicomedullary junction. Other pitfalls include the following: a history of remission and exacerbation, a positive response to inappropriate or nonspecific therapy, and the frequent finding of a normal cerebrospinal fluid protein value. Surgical removal of foramen magnum tumors can be curative.