Cervical Myelopathy – a Diagnostic Problem

Czech version

Authors: Z. Kadaňka ¹; Y. Benešová ¹; M. Mechl ²
Authors‘ workplace: Neurologická klinika LF MU a FN Brno, 2Radiodiagnostická klinika LF MU a FN Brno ¹
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2009; 72/105(2): 110-114
Category: Review Article

Overview

The article deals with the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of cervical myelopathy. The author puts particular emphasis on the detection of compressive spondylotic myelopathy and its differential diagnosis and points out the risks of under- and overdiagnosis. A further large group of cervical myelopathies is represented by spinal tumours, the diagnosis and treatment of which involve many pitfalls. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also associated with diagnostic problems because it may easily be mistaken for spondylotic cervical myelopathy for the ubiquity of degenerative changes of the spine, which leads to unnecessary operations. Many problems are related to acute transverse myelitis, because this term has often been used in a multivalent manner in relevant literature; its etiology is ambiguous and its recognition is therefore difficult.

Key words:
myelopathy – acute transverse myelitis – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – motor neuron disease – multifocal motor neuropathy

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