Syphilitic myelitis with its magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) verification and successful treatment.
A 31-year-old man with a 10-day duration of a progressive paraparesis and sensory disturbance was found to have a syphilitic infection which was confirmed by the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) syphilitic reaction. A discrete and wedge-shaped Gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was identified at the level of Th 3/4. The neurologic states and MRI findings improved noticeably after a 16-day course of penicillin with a high dose of prednisolone. Therefore, we want to emphasize the importance and usefulness of MRI in syphilitic myelitis.
Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
K
K
Tashiro
F
F
Moriwaka
K
K
Sudo
M
M
Akino
H
H
Abe
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009187:Myelitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
D010406:Penicillins; D011239:Prednisolone