Should I see an oncologist for T6 hemangiomas?

[XTina76]

I'm a 33 year old woman and I've always been fit.  About a year ago, I started getting a twitching muscle spasm in my mid-back followed by numbness and weakness in my right arm and hand. I figured I had just pulled a muscle or it was from working at the computer. But it didn't get better so I sought treatment. So far, I've had C-spine, Shoulder and Thoracic MRIs, a nerve study of my neck and right shoulder, and a bone scan.  They found a disc bulge at the C5-6 with some mild neurological deficits in the C5-6 distribution and another disc bulge at the T10-11.  My doctors think these could cause me back pain and spasms but the muscle that's spasming, the lat, isn't a clear connection to either the C5-6 or T10-11 level.  The thoracic MRI also showed two hemangiomas at the T6 which is closer to where my muscle spasm is. The orthopedists have decided it is not orthopedic so I've got a referral to a neurologist.  I'm wondering should I ask for an oncologist referral for the hemangiomas as well?

[Kalvin]

No, I wasn’t mistaken about the Latissimus dorsi innervation; I wouldn’t post anything that I wasn’t reasonably certain about. Those muscles that you listed are the most COMMON ones affected, there are about 10 others. Sometimes when researching you need to dig a little deeper. Its a shared innervation between C6-7-8.

Thoracodorsal Nerve

Nerve Origin: C6, C7, C8 roots, arising as a branch from the posterior cord
Muscles Innervated: Latissimus Dorsi  (Motor Nerve)
The nerve supply to this muscle is the Thoracodorsal nerve which carries the spinal nerve root fibers of the C6, C7 and C8 nerve roots.

Motor nerves: These are the nerves which are supplied from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and the glands to perform a function; they are used in contracting and relaxing the muscles to perform certain specified functions.

What ever the problem is, I hope you get it straighten out and I hope you feel better.


http://classes.kumc.edu/sah/resources/handkines/nerves/c6.htm
http://www.ganfyd.org/index.php?title=Thoracodorsal_nerve
http://www.neckpainsupport.com/2009/11/c6discherniation.html

[XTina76]

I appreciate your comment but I think you are mistaken about the nerve root involved. I have researched this extensively and a C5-6 disc impinging on the nerve root should cause symptoms in the pectorals, biceps, deltoids, and brachiodorsalis. It would be impingement by one of the two lower discs the C6-7 or C7-T1 disc which would give you symptoms in the lats. And I don't have any problems noted at those levels. It would be a lot simpler problem if I did. Thanks anyway.

[Kalvin]

Spinal hemangiomas are benign tumors and symptomatic vertebral hemangiomas are very rare and represent <1% of all hemangiomas. Although, they'll bear watching and your probably going to want to discuss this finding at length with your Neurologist, but theres's a good chance its not causing any symptoms.

And the Latissimus Dorsi receive their motor Innervation through the Thoracodorsal Nerve which is supplied from the C6, C7, C8 roots. C5-6 = C6 nerve root.

Take Care