Adult diastematomyelia.
METHODS
This is a rare report of a patient with clinically silent diastematomyelia unrecognized into adulthood.


OBJECTIVE
The report demonstrates that diastematomyelia may be clinically silent and may not be evident on routine myelography without computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.


BACKGROUND
A patient presented with lumbar radiculopathy in adulthood. Neurologic examination was normal. Radiographs revealed spina bifida occulta at L5 and the sacrum. Previous myelography demonstrated only a central bulging intervertebral disc at L4-L5. Metrizamide myelography with post-myelography computed tomography demonstrated diastematomyelia with tethered cord.


CONCLUSIONS
Myelography alone may be insufficient in demonstrating the pathology described here. Post-myelography computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging sufficiently demonstrated the abnormality in this patient.
Linn
R M
RM
Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
Ford
L T
LT
D000328:Adult; D002917:Chymopapain / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017586:Diskectomy; D006801:Humans; D007404:Intervertebral Disc Chemolysis; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D007796:Laminectomy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D002917:Chymopapain