title: Compressive myelopathy: magnetic resonance imaging findings simulating idiopathic acute transverse myelopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of compressive myelopathy simulating idiopathic acute transverse myelopathy (ATM).
  
  
  METHODS
  From 19,416 patients who had spinal MRI from 1 September 2004 to 10 July 2011, the patients who met inclusion criteria were enrolled as follows: (1) definable cord compression, (2) long-segmental intramedullary T2-high signal intensity (HSI) extending more than 2 vertebral segments, and (3) no history of trauma, malignancy, or demyelinating disease. The characteristics of T2-HSI and contrast enhancement pattern were analyzed. The patients' clinical information was collected in the process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients (10 men, 3 women; mean age, 52.8 years; age range, 43-77 years) were included in this study. Twelve patients had cervical cord compression and one had thoracic compression. Common findings of T2-HSI included fusiform shape (100 %) with cord swelling (92.3 %), cord compression in midline location (76.9 %), diffuse distribution occupying more than two-thirds of the cross-sectional dimension of the cord in axial image (84.6 %), and focal and peripheral enhancement (63.6 %). Intravenous corticosteroid was administered to four patients, including two patients following decompressive surgery, and interval decrease in T2-HSI was seen in three patients, but with residual lesions at cord compression level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spinal cord compression can induce long-segmental cord signal change, such as idiopathic ATM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 166, Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Joon Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.forename: Ki-Jeong
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Guen Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Heung Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*