title: Diffuse cauda equina enhancement in a middle aged male with Susac syndrome and symptomatic cauda equina syndrome.
abstract: Susac syndrome is a rare neurologic disorder first described by Susac et al. in 1979. Clinically, Susac syndrome consists of a triad including encephalopathy, branch retinal artery occlusions and sensorineural hearing loss. All three components of the triad usually do not present at the same time, thus delaying time to diagnosis. MRI studies often show characteristic punched out lesions of the central fibers of the corpus callosum. Intracranial leptomeningeal enhancement may be seen, however, cauda equina involvement has not been described to our knowledge. We present a case of Susac syndrome in a middle-aged male with symptoms of cauda equina syndrome, and spinal MRI showing diffuse enhancement of the nerve roots of the cauda equina.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Neuroradiology, 15 Francis St., Boston, MA 02115, United States. Electronic address: amallmendinger@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Allmendinger
authors.forename: Narayan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Viswanadhan
authors.forename: Roman A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Klufas
authors.forename: Liangge
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D055955:Susac Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: ADEM; BRAOs; CMV; CT; Cauda equina syndrome; Corpus callosum; Cytomegalovirus; HSV; IVIG; MPRAGE; MRI; MS; Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo; Microangiopathy; PET-CT; Positron Emission Tomography-CT; Spine; Susac syndrome; VZV; WBC; acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; branch retinal artery occlusions; computed tomography; herpes simplex virus; intravenous immunoglobulin; magnetic resonance imaging; multiple sclerosis; varicella zoster virus; white blood cell