• Li Dai, Ming-Ju Zou, Ren-Li Liao, Bing-Ran Zhang, Zhi-Qiang Ma, and Ming-Wei Liu.
• Department of Endocrinology, The Second People's Hospital of Jiangjin District, Chongqing, China.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 Aug 9; 103 (32): e39196e39196.

RationaleNeuroendocrine tumors (NET) refer to a group of uncommon tumors arising in the neuroendocrine system. Most NETs occur in the digestive tract and bronchi but are rare in the central nervous system, especially in the spinal canal. NET in the central nervous system mainly metastasize from other systems, with non-specific clinical symptoms. In this study, we report the diagnosis and treatment of intraspinal NET to provide clinical guidance as well as to avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.Patient ConcernsA 59-year-old male patient, presented with recurrent right lower limb pain for half a year, accompanied by numbness and weakness for 4 months and aggravation for 2 months. Lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a space-occupying lesion in the spinal canal. The diagnosis of primary intraspinal NET was confirmed by topathological examination.DiagnosisPrimary intraspinal NET tumor.InterventionsSurgical resection.OutcomesSignificant improvements in right lower limb pain, numbness, and weakness were observed, and lumbar spine MRI was performed again to dynamically observe the changes in intraspinal NET.ConclusionsSurgical resection may be an effective treatment for intraspinal NETs.LessonsIntraspinal NETs are relatively rare and mostly manifest as limb numbness, weakness, and pain. Due to its nonspecific clinical symptoms, intraspinal NETs are easily misdiagnosed as lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy and lumbar spondylolisthesis. Therefore, in patients with long-term symptoms, in addition to common lumbar neuromuscular diseases, lumbar MRI should be performed promptly to exclude the possibility of lumbar NETs.Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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