Case Report
Retroodontoid Pseudotumor Related to Development
of Myelopathy Secondary to Atlantoaxial Instability on
Os Odontoideum
M. Hamard , S. P. Martin , and S. Boudabbous
Department of Imaging and Medical Information Sciences, Division of Radiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
Correspondence should be addressed to M. Hamard; marion.hamard@hcuge.ch
Received 31 May 2018; Revised 10 September 2018; Accepted 16 September 2018; Published 30 September 2018
Academic Editor: Atsushi Komemushi
Copyright © 2018 M. Hamard et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Retroodontoid pseudotumor (ROP) is a nonneoplasic lesion of unknown etiology, commonly associated with infammatory
conditions, and the term of pannus is usually used. Less frequently, ROP formation can develop with other noninfammatory
entities, with atlantoaxial instability as most accepted pathophysiological mechanism for posttraumatic or degenerative ROP. As
it can clinically and radiologically mimic a malignant tumor, it is paramount for the radiologist to know this entity. Magnetic
resonance imaging is the modality of choice to reveal the possible severe complication of ROP in the form of a compressive
myelopathy of the upper cervical cord. Te purpose of the surgical treatment is the regression or complete disappearance of ROP,
with posterior decompression by laminectomy and posterior C1-C2 or occipitocervical fxation. We present the case of an elderly
patient with retroodontoid sof tissue mass secondary to a chronic atlantoaxial instability on os odontoideum, an extremely rare
cause of ROP. Te patient developed a posttraumatic cervical myelopathy related to the decompensation of this C1-C2 instability
responsible for the formation of a compressive ROP. We will overview the retroodontoid pseudotumor and its diferential diagnosis.
1. Introduction
Retroodontoid pseudotumor (ROP) is an entity that can
mimic malignant tumors and is from uncertain etiology.
Some consider it as a low-grade fbrosarcoma. ROP are
mainly related to infectious processes and less frequently
to infammatory disorders. ROP might have neurological
complications due to mass efect on the spinal cord.
2. Case Description
A 77-year-old female patient was admitted in our institution
following a ground-level fall due to relatively sudden grade
3-4 right hemiparesis with lower limb predominance.
Tis patient was not known for any systemic disease,
no rheumatoid arthritis, or other joint-related generalized
disease.
An initial enhanced CT was performed for the suspicion
of an ischemic stroke. Te exam revealed a smooth and
well-corticated bone ossicle measuring 14 mm and located
superiorly to the odontoid process corresponding to an os
odontoideum (Figures 1(a)–1(c)). Te ossicle was associated
with an atlantoaxial subluxation and with the posterior wall
of 14 mm on spinal canal (Figures 1(e) and 1(f), white lines)
that has increased since a previous CT 8 years ago. Te late
enhanced phase showed an intracanal hyperattenuated but no
enhancing pseudomass situated just posterior to the ossicle
(Figure 1(d)).
A complementary cervical enhanced MRI with admin-
istration of Gadolinium confrmed a well-corticated ossicle
and demonstrated a tissular retroodontoid process (Figures
2(a) and 2(b)). Te tissue component showed a low signal
on T1- and T2-weighted images and no enhancement (Fig-
ure 2(g)), compatible with a ROP. Te main diagnosis was a
noninfammatory ROP developed on atlantoaxial instability,
secondary to an os odontoideum. Te main diferential
diagnosis was pseudoarthrosis of an old fracture of the dens
of axis. Infammatory arthritis such as gout, rheumatoid, or
psoriatic arthritis was suggested as diferential diagnosis, but
less likely because of the negative history of those diseases.
Hindawi
Case Reports in Radiology
Volume 2018, Article ID 1658129, 10 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1658129