title: Functional thalamic depression in a case of reversible central pain due to a spinal intramedullary cyst. Case report.
abstract: In this report the authors discuss a case of central pain of spinal cord origin due to a spinal thoracic intramedullary cyst. Single-photon emission computerized tomography with technetium-99m hexamethylpropyleneamineoxime showed thalamic hypoperfusion contralateral to the affected leg. Surgical evacuation resulted in total relief of the pain and normalization of the thalamic alteration. The reader can infer from these findings that functional alterations in thalamic processing may be important in the genesis of central pain.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Molinette Hospital, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pagni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canavero
mesh_terms: D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D013788:Thalamus / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime