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Compressive myelopathy

Case contributed by Bruno Di Muzio
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Chronic neck pain radiating through both arms.

Patient Data

Age: 65-year-old
Gender: Female

MRI Cervical spine

mri

Straightening of the cervical lordosis. Diffuse degenerative changes characterized by vertebral bodies' osteophytes and intervertebral discs desiccation and loss of height. The spinal canal is diffusely narrowed. Disc bulges at C3/4, C4/5, and C5/6, as well as disc central protrusion at C6/7, are compressing the CSF space anteriorly and indenting the spinal cord, in special at C3/4 and C4/5, where there are focal areas of T2 hyperintensities within the spinal cord. 

Annotated image

Annotated T2 sagittal image showing the more prominent anterior compression of the spinal cord in C3/4 and C4/5, where a mild hyper T2 signal is observed within the cord at those levels (yellow star). 

Case Discussion

Case illustrating typical findings in a patient with intervertebral disc disease and a narrowed spinal canal, with spinal myelopathy secondary to the cord compression. 

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