Abstract

The tailgut is the most caudal part of the hindgut, it forms the distal part of the anus. It normally involutes by the eighth week of gestational age. If a tailgut rest proceeds, it may give rise to a tailgut cyst. Malign transformation of the tailgut cyst is very rare. Adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, and sarcoma developing within the tailgut cyst has been reported in the literature. We present a case of neuroendocrin tumor which is arised from a tailgut cyst in a middle aged woman with its computed tomography (CT) imaging findings. A 35 year-old woman with a history of endometriosis admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain. An ultrasonography (US) examination and contrast medium enhanced tomography of the abdomen and pelvis was performed. CT showed multiple well-defined solid heterojen masses in presacral space.The largest dimensions of the masses were 6.5x6x6.5 cm. The patient underwent surgery. Patology was reported as neuroendocrin tumor arising within tailgut cyst. It is usually detected as an asymptomatic mass in the presacral space between rectum and sacrum. Tailgut cyst ismore common in female and usually presents in middle age(mean 35), but it can present at any age. Our patient was female and 35 years old. Discrimination of tailgut cyst from other presacral cysts is important because of the malignant potential of a tailgut cyst. Malign transformation is very rare. Adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, and sarcoma developing within the tailgut cyst has been reported. In our case patology was reported as neuroendocrin tumor arising within tailgut cyst. It should be kept in mind the differential diagnosis of presacral masses because of the malignant potential of a tailgut cyst.

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