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Longitudinally extensive vasogenic edema following spinal cord infarction
Author(s) -
Gondo Takashi,
Kurihara Masanori,
Sugiyama Yusuke,
Mano Tatsuo,
Mori Harushi,
Hayashi Toshihiro,
Tsuji Shoji
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
neurology and clinical neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.125
0ISSN - 2049-4173
DOI - 10.1111/ncn3.12215
Subject(s) - medicine , lesion , spinal cord , infarction , magnetic resonance imaging , edema , radiology , cord , pathology , cardiology , surgery , myocardial infarction , psychiatry
Abstract Although transient lesion expansion has been reported after spinal cord infarction, longitudinally extensive lesion expanding more than several vertebral segments is extremely rare. We report a 45‐year‐old man having spinal cord infarction with subsequent longitudinally extensive lesion expansion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 10 days after the infarction. The length of T2 hyperintense lesion was four vertebral segments on initial MRI but enlarged to span 12 vertebral segments on subsequent MRI, with Lhermitte's sign, but otherwise without neurological deterioration. The expanded lesion extended beyond the anterior spinal artery region with high apparent diffusion coefficient value in the acute phase but improved within 10 days after starting cervical collar, suggesting that lesion expansion was due to vasogenic edema. This case illustrates that transient longitudinal lesion expansion accompanied by spinal cord infarction can reach lengths of up to 12 vertebral segments. Caution should be exercised while interpreting MRI findings to avoid excessive treatment or secondary damage.