Dermatomal Sensory Manifestations in Opalski Syndrome.
A 31-year-old Japanese woman presented with sudden-onset unstable gait followed by nuchal pain. A neurological examination revealed right-sided limb weakness and decreased pain and thermal sensation on the left side below the level of the L1 dermatome. A lower lateral medullary infarction with ipsilateral hemiplegia, known as Opalski syndrome, caused by spontaneous vertebral artery dissection was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. The spinothalamic tract in the medulla oblongata has a topographic arrangement of sensory fibers, and the dermatomal sensory deficit in this case can be explained in relation to that. This is the first reported case of Opalski syndrome with dermatomal sensory manifestations. Opalski syndrome could be a differential diagnosis for dermatomal sensory manifestations.
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan. Electronic address: t-kon@umin.ac.jp.
Tomoya
T
Kon
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Yukihisa
Y
Funamizu
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Tatsuya
T
Ueno
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Rie
R
Haga
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Haruo
H
Nishijima
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Akira
A
Arai
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Chieko
C
Suzuki
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Jinichi
J
Nunomura
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Masayuki
M
Baba
Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan.
Masahiko
M
Tomiyama
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014854:Lateral Medullary Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008526:Medulla Oblongata; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012867:Skin / Q000503:physiopathology; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
Dermatomal sensory manifestations; Opalski syndrome; Wallenberg syndrome; lateral medullary infarction; sensory level