Spine

Pieces of spine are seen in neuropathology.

Schematic of the spine. (WC/Gray's Anatomy)

Common specimens

• Synovial cyst.
• Lumbar wound infection.

Synovial cyst

General

• May cause back pain.

Microscopic

Features:

• Simple epithelium.

Notes:

• If epithelium missing -- then ganglion cyst.

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WRIST LESION ("GANGLION"), EXCISION:
- BENIGN SYNOVIAL CYST.

Degenerative disc disease

Vertebral disc redirects here.

General

• Herniated disc cause back pain.
• May result in cauda equina syndrome.
• Composed of fibrous cartilage.

Microscopic

Features:

• Benign fibrous tissue.
• Nests of chondrocytes (as in immature cartilage).

Images

• 

  Degenerative disc disease - intermed. mag. (WC)

• 

  Degenerative disc disease - high mag. (WC)

www:

• Degenerative disk disease (rsna.org).
• Normal vertebral disc (edu.ag).

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CERVICAL DISC, DISCECTOMY:
- DISC WITH DEGENERATIVE CHANGES.
- NO EVIDENCE OF MALIGNANCY.

LUMBAR DISC, DECOMPRESSION:
- DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE.

Schmorl's node

Main article: Schmorl's node

Vertebral fracture

This deals with benign vertebral fractures.

General

• Usually elderly with osteoporosis.
• Essentially a clinical diagnosis.
• The pathologist's job is to exclude malignancy.

Microscopic

Features:

• Non-viable bone.

DDx:

• Pathologic fracture.

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L11 VERTEBRA, BIOPSY:
- BENIGN FRAGMENTS OF BONE.
- BENIGN FIBROCONNECTIVE TISSUE.
- BONE MARROW WITH TRILINEAGE HEMATOPOIESIS.
- NO EVIDENCE OF MALIGNANCY.

See also

• Soft tissue.
• Bone.
• Ditzels.