title: Spinal cord size in syringomyelia: change with position on metrizamide myelography.
abstract: Change in the anteroposterior diameter of the cervical spinal cord was demonstrated on metrizamide myelography in 20 out of 40 cases of cervical syringomyelia. Twelve of these were normal-sized cords, four were small, and four enlarged. Comparable lateral cervical myelograms in the prone and supine positions were sufficient to show size change for normal-sized or small cords. Additional myelograms in the erect and Trendelenburg positions were necessary to show size change in enlarged cervical cords, especially with associated Chiari malformation. A localized change in cord size suggests syringomyelia. If the change in cord size is diffuse, then change less than 10% is not necessarily significant. In undiagnosed myelopathy, metrizamide myelography has the potential to detect unsuspected syringomyelia even when the cord is normal-sized or small. Myelographic study may also be useful as an adjunct to delayed computed tomographic studies.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008793:Metrizamide; D009192:Myelography; D011187:Posture; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D008793:Metrizamide