Spinal Cord Infarction Mimicking Acute Transverse Myelitis

Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a rare type of stroke. The initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is usually normal and can mimic the presentation of the acute transverse myelitis (ATM), acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and compressive myelopathies from neoplasm, epidural or subdur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2017-12, Vol.9 (12), p.e1911
Main Authors: Pawar, Nilesh H, Loke, Ealing, Aw, Derrick C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abscesses
Blood
Case reports
Disease
Family medical history
Fractures
Inflammatory diseases
Laboratories
Medical imaging
Neurology
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Pathology
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Proteins
Radiology
Spinal cord
Stroke
Veins & arteries
Vertebrae
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Summary:Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a rare type of stroke. The initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is usually normal and can mimic the presentation of the acute transverse myelitis (ATM), acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and compressive myelopathies from neoplasm, epidural or subdural hematoma, or abscess. The aim of this report is to describe and discuss the case of a patient with SCI presenting as a diagnostic confusion with acute transverse myelitis. A 64-year-old male with a medical history of hypertension presented with an acute onset of urinary retention with lower limb weakness. Based on the initial MRI and evaluation, a diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis was made. Despite thorough evaluation, the etiology of transverse myelitis was undetermined. Hence, the MRI of the thoracic spine was repeated which showed patchier enhancements of the vertebral body with features suggestive of the spinal cord and vertebral body infarction. Thus, a repeat MRI is required to make an accurate diagnosis. The vertebral body is always involved and can be of diagnostic significance as it reflects the pathology of underlying blood supply.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.1911