An unusual epidural, vascular spinal lipoma in a 3-year-old child: a case report and review of the literature. Epidural lipomas are usually benign tumors affecting the spinal cord. We report the unusual presentation of a cervicothoracic spinal lipoma associated with a cervical dysraphism in a young boy. Diagnostic options using magnetic resonance imaging and gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid are discussed as a pathway to early diagnosis of these and other occult spinal lesions. 