J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2020 May;63(3):338-341. 10.3340/jkns.2020.0097.

Syringomyelia in the Tethered Spinal Cords

• Lee JY
• Kim KH
• Wang KC

• KMID: 2501720
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2020.0097

Abstract

Cases of syringomyelia associated with spinal dysraphism are distinct from those associated with hindbrain herniation or arachnoiditis in terms of the suspected pathogenetic mechanism. The symptoms of terminal syringomyelia are difficult to differentiate from the symptoms caused by spinal dysraphism. Nonetheless, syringomyelia has important clinical implications, as it is an important sign of cord tethering. The postoperative assessment of syringomyelia should be performed with caution.

Keyword

Syringomyelia; Neural tube defects

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Serial sagittal MRI images of a terminal myelocystocele patient showing the syringomyelia extending up to the cervical level. Inlet on the far left image shows the axial plane of the yellow line with syringomyelia (white arrow). MRI : magnetic resonance imaging.

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  Fig. 2. A : Medical illustration of the surgical procedure of animal model of syringomyelia by epidural compression of kaolin. B : Syringomyelia in a rat : MRI obtained 3 months after injection of kaolin. C : Another example of syringomyelia shown at 3 months after the operation on sagittal (upper, arrows) and axial (lower, dotted arrow) T2-weighted images. The syrinx cavity is located cephalad to the compression site (arrowhead). Reprinted from Lee et al. [11] with permission of American Association of Neurological Surgeons. MRI : magnetic resonance imaging.

Reference

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