ArticleCureus2025
Lumbar Arachnoid Cyst Presenting as Arachnoiditis on MRI: A Case Report and Diagnostic Approach.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Lumbar arachnoid cysts (ACs) and arachnoiditis may appear similar on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and may appear difficult to diagnose accurately. Considering that lumbar arachnoid cysts have a benign source, in contrast to arachnoiditis, surgical intervention poses a challenge. We present a case initially assumed to be arachnoiditis but later confirmed as an arachnoid cyst by MRI and computed tomography (CT) myelogram. The goal of this report was to provide a clearer understanding of the pathophysiological differences and key diagnostic features, including imaging techniques and clinical presentations that distinguish these two conditions. A 46-year-old Caucasian female presented to the emergency department with complaints of back pain and lower-extremity weakness with associated saddle paresthesia. Clinical examination revealed hyporeflexia with a diminished sensation in the left lower extremity. Accurate diagnosis using MRI and a comprehensive clinical approach is vital for early recognition and differentiation of cauda equina syndrome, spinal stenosis, arachnoiditis, spinal abscess, and epidural hematoma. In this case, the initial lumbar MRI demonstrated an empty thecal sac at L4-L5, which can be seen in cases of arachnoiditis and inflammatory arthropathy. With a negative inflammatory lumbar puncture and unresolved symptoms post methylprednisolone treatment, CT myelogram was ordered, which confirmed the presence of a lumbar arachnoid cyst at L4-L5. While arachnoiditis is primarily managed with symptomatic treatment, this patient had a spinal arachnoid cyst, which required surgical intervention to relieve compression and symptoms.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.