Cervical Intradural Neurenteric Cyst Mimicking Arachnoid Cyst: A Rare Case With Favorable Surgical Outcome

Neurenteric cysts are rare congenital lesions of endodermal origin occurring along the spinal axis. They are most frequently located in the cervical region and often present with symptoms related to spinal cord compression. Due to their nonspecific radiological appearance, they are frequently misdiagnosed as arachnoid cysts or other intradural extramedullary lesions. We report a case of a 51‑year‑old male presenting with neck pain radiating to both upper limbs associated with numbness in both hands and urinary symptoms. MRI revealed a CSF intensity intradural extramedullary lesion anterior to the spinal cord at the C5–C7 level, initially suspected to be an arachnoid cyst. The patient underwent surgical excision, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a neurenteric cyst. Postoperatively the patient showed significant neurological improvement. Early surgical excision remains the treatment of choice.