title: Hydrosyringomyelia and diastematomyelia detected by MRI in myelomeningocele.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine in 45 patients with myelomeningocele revealed hydrosyringomyelia in 24 and diastematomyelia in two. No patient at initial imaging manifested symptoms referable to hydrosyringomyelia; both patients with diastematomyelia had flaccid lower extremities. One patient developed an upper extremity monoparesis which resolved with syringo-peritoneal shunt placement; no other patient manifested symptoms or required surgery. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction produced reversible distention of the syrinx in another patient who remained asymptomatic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics (Neurology and Infectious Disease), Park Nicollet Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404.
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Breningstall
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Marker
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Tubman
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt