What’s the difference between a synovial cyst and a ganglion cyst? I’ve had a ganglion cyst in my wrist. Now I have a synovial cyst in my spine. Are they the same thing?

Cyst refers to a pouch or sac usually under the skin. Most cysts are filled with some type of fluid either clear (serous) or blood. A synovial cyst for example is filled with synovial fluid from a nearby joint.

The cyst is lined with synovial tissue. A link or channel between the joint and the cyst allows fluid to move freely between the two structures.

A ganglion cyst may be empty but often is a knot of tissue, sometimes formed of nerve cells. There is no synovial lining and no synovial fluid inside.