Hodgkin disease with spinal cord compression

Abstract

Hodgkin disease is a nodal disease. Spinal cord or root compression is a rare complication and usually seen in the setting of progressive, advanced disease. We report 2 cases of Hodgkin disease in pediatric patients who presented with neurologic signs. One patient had paravertebral masses and involvement of thoracic vertebrae, which was initially misdiagnosed as spinal tuberculosis. The second patient who presented with paraplegia and bladder and bowel involvement had an epidural mass with collapse of thoracic vertebra. Lymph node biopsy revealed Hodgkin disease, mixed cellularity in both the cases. Both were treated with chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. © 2009 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.