RESUMO
Diseases of the spinal cord often have devastating consequences and imaging studies are indispensable for their diagnosis. The fundamental imaging technique to evaluate these diseases is magnetic resonance imaging of the spine. The diagnostic approach must be based on the clinical context, the time elapsed since the onset of symptoms and signs, and the imaging findings; for this reason, it sometimes necessary to broaden the study to include the brain. The first step in the diagnostic algorithm is to rule out spinal cord compression before evaluating other causes of myelopathy, which sometimes has multiple causes. This paper includes a broad review of the different diseases that can cause myelopathy, their imaging manifestations, their differential diagnoses, and diagnostic algorithms. Using an appropriate radiological approach will result in better management and prognosis of these patients.
Assuntos
Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Mielite Transversa , Compressão da Medula Espinal , Doenças da Medula Óssea , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Mielite Transversa/diagnóstico por imagem , Prognóstico , Compressão da Medula Espinal/diagnóstico por imagem , Doenças da Medula EspinalAssuntos
Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Central/etiologia , Doenças do Nervo Óptico/etiologia , Macroglobulinemia de Waldenstrom/diagnóstico , Idoso , Encéfalo/patologia , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Central/diagnóstico , Humanos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Masculino , Doenças do Nervo Óptico/diagnóstico , Macroglobulinemia de Waldenstrom/complicaçõesRESUMO
Demyelinating diseases may cause neurological catastrophes in several ways. Rapidly progressing disease or severe acute bouts may seriously threaten the patient's life. Diagnostic procedures, errors in identifying the clinical picture and even treatments themselves may result in a catastrophe. This article reviews the most frequent catastrophic scenarios.