title: The role of magnetic resonance imaging in acute transverse myelitis.
abstract: Eighteen adult patients presenting with acute transverse myelitis (ATM) were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging. Only 7 had abnormal scans showing an area of increased signal intensity within the cord solely on T2 weighted images; T1 weighted images were normal. The MRI abnormality did not correlate with the cause of the transverse myelitis, the extent of maximum neurological deficit, or the prognosis. A scan performed more than 5 days after the onset of disease was most likely to be positive. Even though the prognostic value of MRI in ATM may be limited, it remains a valuable technique for ruling out other causes of noncompressive spinal cord lesions, such as hemorrhage, vascular malformation, or tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles County Medical Center.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zee
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*