R M Linn1, L T Ford. 1. Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: This is a rare report of a patient with clinically silent diastematomyelia unrecognized into adulthood. OBJECTIVE: The report demonstrates that diastematomyelia may be clinically silent and may not be evident on routine myelography without computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A patient presented with lumbar radiculopathy in adulthood. Neurologic examination was normal. Radiographs revealed spina bifida occulta at L5 and the sacrum. Previous myelography demonstrated only a central bulging intervertebral disc at L4-L5. Metrizamide myelography with post-myelography computed tomography demonstrated diastematomyelia with tethered cord. CONCLUSIONS: Myelography alone may be insufficient in demonstrating the pathology described here. Post-myelography computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging sufficiently demonstrated the abnormality in this patient.
STUDY DESIGN: This is a rare report of a patient with clinically silent diastematomyelia unrecognized into adulthood. OBJECTIVE: The report demonstrates that diastematomyelia may be clinically silent and may not be evident on routine myelography without computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A patient presented with lumbar radiculopathy in adulthood. Neurologic examination was normal. Radiographs revealed spina bifida occulta at L5 and the sacrum. Previous myelography demonstrated only a central bulging intervertebral disc at L4-L5. Metrizamide myelography with post-myelography computed tomography demonstrated diastematomyelia with tethered cord. CONCLUSIONS: Myelography alone may be insufficient in demonstrating the pathology described here. Post-myelography computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging sufficiently demonstrated the abnormality in this patient.