Spinal cord atrophy associated with arachnoiditis as demonstrated by computed tomography.

Two cases showing the features of spinal arachnoiditis on metrizamide myelography were examined by concurrent computed tomography. This showed severe atrophy and deformity of the spinal cord with its cross sectional shape changing dramatically from one segmental level to the next. These features may be the result of traction on the cord by arachnoid adhesions. Filling defects in the canal or apparent enlargement of the cord may result from pouches of subarachnoid space which are not in free communication with the contrast material.