Spine pathology in a girl with upper limb pain: A co-incidence or a causal relationship?

ABSTRACT

A 10-year-old girl was admitted to the Emergency Department due to a history of intermittent pain located in the left radiocarpal joint for a month, as well as in the interphalangeal joints of the left hand without any additional symptoms. Clinical examination revealed mild sensory deficits and diminished muscle strength of the left upper limb without any other pathologic findings. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan of the brain and spinal cord was performed, which confirmed a diagnosis of thoracic syringomyelia. We briefly discuss specific traits and diagnostic challenges of this entity in childhood. Our case highlights the difficulty in efficiently correlating a pathologic imaging finding with clinical neurologic symptoms and signs, as well as the value of a thorough clinical neurological evaluation. Furthermore, a clear discrimination of a causal relationship against an incidental co-existence of a radiological finding and a specific symptom is not always possible.