Adhesive arachnoiditis causing cauda equina syndrome in ankylosing spondylitis: CT and MRI demonstration of dural calcification and a dorsal dural diverticulum

Abstract

We present the radiological features of a 42-year-old man with long-standing inactive ankylosing spondylitis (AS), demonstrating that arachnoiditis is a cause of a cauda equina syndrome (CES) in this disease. CT showed a dorsal arachnoid diverticulum causing scalloped erosion of the laminae, and punctate and curvilinear dural calcification. MRI revealed adhesion and convergence of the cauda equina dorsally into the arachnoid pouch, causing the dural sac to appear empty canal. To the best of our knowledge, dural calcification on CT is a new finding in AS, which may be related to the CES. Our findings support the hypothesis that chronic adhesive arachnoiditis with subsequent loss of meningeal elasticity may be the main cause of CES in AS.