Leptomeningeal metastases of an astrocytoma of the conus medullaris: a case report.

We describe a case of spinal leptomeningeal metastases of an astrocytoma of the conus medullaris that presented with quadriplegia. The patient was a 50-year-old woman with a previously treated astrocytoma of the conus medullaris and a spinal cord metastasis at the Th2-L level. Four years after the initial treatment, the patient developed weakness of the upper extremities with a decreased muscular tonus. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine showed an intradural extramedullary metastatic tumor deposit at the C3-C6 level. Spinal leptomeningeal metastases need to be suspected in patients with a history of intramedullary astrocytoma.