Acute aortic thrombosis causing sudden paraplegia in a patient with known thoraco-lumbar spinal metastasis: the diagnostic usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging.

Diagnosis and treatment of acute aortic thrombosis utilizing magnetic resonance imaging is reported. The patient had known thoracolumbar spinal metastases and sudden onset paraplegia. MRI critically shortened the time to emergent surgery and obviated the need for two invasive tests (myelogram and angiogram).