A Rare Case of Lumbar Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastasis from Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Abstract

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is an extremely rare and poorly documented condition. This report presents the case of a 55-year-old woman with persistent back pain, in whom an intramedullary mass at the L1 level was identified. Despite no prior history of thyroid disease, pathology revealed the mass to be a metastasis from PTC, which was subsequently confirmed by thyroid ultrasound and biopsy. The patient underwent thyroid surgery and radioiodine treatment, leading to improvement in back pain, although sensory deficits persisted. This case underscores the rarity of spinal metastases as a presentation of PTC and highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, with surgical intervention playing a key role in optimizing outcomes. Keywords Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis, papillary thyroid carcinoma, spinal metastases, surgical intervention.