A2557-g male infant was delivered by cesarean section after an uncomplicated 40-week gestation. On the fourth day, the mother noticed a mass on the left side of his back at the costovertebral junction. He had no appreciable lower extremity weakness.
Abdominal palpation revealed a firm, 3×5-cm soft tissue mass deep in the left upper quadrant. The infant did not spontaneously use his left quadriceps muscles against gravity, and the deep tendon reflexes were increased on the left side. The right leg was normal. His bladder was not distended and his anal tone was normal.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine was performed (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
Chest roentgenogram, chest computed tomogram, technetium Tc 99m bone scan, and bone marrow aspiration showed no abnormalities.
Denouement and Discussion
Congenital Neuroblastoma
Roentgenographic diagnosis was a left retroperitoneal, paravertebral neuroblastoma extending into the spinal canal through the L1-2 intervertebral foramina. The urinary vanillylmandelic