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Central spinal cord lesions in stenosis of the cervical canal

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Summary

34 patients suffering from cervical spondylotic myelopathy confirmed by myelography were examined by delayed CT 6–10 h after myelography. Twelve patients showed bilateral intramedullary collections of contrast medium, predominantly cranial to the stenosis. In these patients males predominated, the duration of clinical symptoms lasted longer although their age was lower. There was no correlation to the degree and the extension of the narrowing of the cervical spinal canal. Half of 20 patients undergoing consecutive decompressive surgery showed intramedullary contrast enhancement, and this was shown again by postoperative MRI in eight. The postoperative clinical and neurophysiological results revealed no change in the majority of patients, but three patients showing intramedullary contrast medium deteriorated in neurophysiological outcome, while only one of the patients in whom intramedullary contrast medium was not noticed got worse.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, FRG

    J. H. Faiss, G. Schroth & W. Grodd

  2. Department of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, FRG

    E. Koenig

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, FRG

    B. Will

  4. Department of Neuroradiology, University of Aachen, Aachen, FRG

    A. Thron

  5. Abteilung Neurologie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, D-4300, Essen, Federal Republic of Germany

    J. H. Faiss

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  1. J. H. Faiss
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  2. G. Schroth
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  3. W. Grodd
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  4. E. Koenig
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  5. B. Will
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  6. A. Thron
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Faiss, J.H., Schroth, G., Grodd, W. et al. Central spinal cord lesions in stenosis of the cervical canal. Neuroradiology 32, 117–123 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588561

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588561

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