title: A case of spinal cord infarction caused by polycythemia vera.
abstract: METHODS
  This is a case report.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to report on a 66-year-old woman with a confirmed diagnosis of polycythemia vera who presented with acute spinal cord infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 66-year-old woman was previously diagnosed with polycythemia vera and presented with acute paraparesis and urinary retention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient's platelet count was 847,000 platelets per μl. T2- and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed hyperintensity at the T12-L1 spinal cord. Computed tomography of the abdominal aorta further revealed multiple thrombi filling the aortic lumen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polycythemia vera creates a high risk of systemic thrombosis due to hyperviscosity and platelet activation. Although acute infarction in the spinal cord is a rare complication of this myeloproliferative disease, it should be considered in all affected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: K-K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000150:complications*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed