Primary intraparenchymatous spinal cord melanoma

A case of primary melanoma arising from the spinal cord parenchyma at the Th 10-11 level, in a 50-year-old female, is presented. In this patient, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed an intraparenchymatous lesion, with rounded borders, and an associated intramedullary cyst. On the basis of these findings and the long duration of symptoms, an erroneous preoperative diagnosis of intramedullary ependymoma was made.