Embolization of paraspinal masses.

Arterial embolization is a method of palliative therapy for both primary and metastatic tumors. This treatment is frequently used in the liver and kidney, but has not been previously extended to paraspinal masses. Five patients with recurrent renal cell carcinoma or neurofibrosarcoma underwent palliative embolization for pain or mass effect. All had relief of pain after embolization. Four patients showed change in the mass on follow-up computed tomography scan with one demonstrating tumor shrinkage. Arterial embolization can be an effective method for palliation of pain and mass effect caused by paraspinal masses.