Acquired Pathology of the Pediatric Spine and Spinal Cord

Overview

Journal Pediatr Radiol

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2015 Sep 9

PMID 26346148

Citations 2

Authors

Susan Palasis

Laura L Hayes

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pediatric spine pathology poses a diagnostic challenge for radiologists. Acquired spine pathology often yields nonspecific signs and symptoms in children, especially in the younger age groups, and diagnostic delay can carry significant morbidity. This review is focused on some of the more common diagnostic dilemmas we face when attempting to evaluate and diagnose acquired pediatric spine anomalies in daily practice. An understanding of some of the key differentiating features of these disease processes in conjunction with pertinent history, physical exam, and advanced imaging techniques can indicate the correct diagnosis.

Citing Articles

Spine pathology in a girl with upper limb pain: A co-incidence or a causal relationship?.

Gogou M, Spilioti M, Tramma D, Papadopoulou-Alataki E, Evangeliou A Sudan J Paediatr. 2017; 17(1):57-60.

PMID: 29213173 PMC: 5621862.

Acute complete paraplegia of 8-year-old girl caused by spinal cord infarction following minor trauma complicated with longitudinal signal change of spinal cord.

Nagata K, Tanaka Y, Kanai H, Oshima Y Eur Spine J. 2017; 26(5):1432-1435.

PMID: 28281001 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-017-4995-9.

References

Andre J, Zaharchuk G, Saritas E, Komakula S, Shankaranarayan A, Banerjee S . Clinical evaluation of reduced field-of-view diffusion-weighted imaging of the cervical and thoracic spine and spinal cord. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2012; 33(10):1860-6. PMC: 7964604. DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A3134. View

Bergamaschi R, Ghezzi A . Devic's neuromyelitis optica: clinical features and prognostic factors. Neurol Sci. 2005; 25 Suppl 4:S364-7. DOI: 10.1007/s10072-004-0342-0. View

Carlson G, Gorden C, Oliff H, Pillai J, LaManna J . Sustained spinal cord compression: part I: time-dependent effect on long-term pathophysiology. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2003; 85(1):86-94. View

Miller R, Beck N, Sampson N, Zhu X, Flynn J, Drummond D . Imaging modalities for low back pain in children: a review of spondyloysis and undiagnosed mechanical back pain. J Pediatr Orthop. 2013; 33(3):282-8. DOI: 10.1097/BPO.0b013e318287fffb. View

Hirai T, Uchida K, Nakajima H, Guerrero A, Takeura N, Watanabe S . The prevalence and phenotype of activated microglia/macrophages within the spinal cord of the hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy) changes in response to chronic progressive spinal cord compression: implications for human cervical compressive myelopathy. PLoS One. 2013; 8(5):e64528. PMC: 3663759. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064528. View

Brandao S, Seixas D, Ayres-Basto M, Castro S, Neto J, Martins C . Comparing T1-weighted and T2-weighted three-point Dixon technique with conventional T1-weighted fat-saturation and short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) techniques for the study of the lumbar spine in a short-bore MRI machine. Clin Radiol. 2013; 68(11):e617-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.crad.2013.06.004. View

Choudhri A, Whitehead M, Klimo Jr P, Montgomery B, Boop F . Diffusion tensor imaging to guide surgical planning in intramedullary spinal cord tumors in children. Neuroradiology. 2014; 56(2):169-74. PMC: 4504212. DOI: 10.1007/s00234-013-1316-9. View

Lennon V, Kryzer T, Pittock S, Verkman A, Hinson S . IgG marker of optic-spinal multiple sclerosis binds to the aquaporin-4 water channel. J Exp Med. 2005; 202(4):473-7. PMC: 2212860. DOI: 10.1084/jem.20050304. View

Luck J, Nightingale R, Song Y, Kait J, Loyd A, Myers B . Tensile failure properties of the perinatal, neonatal, and pediatric cadaveric cervical spine. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012; 38(1):E1-12. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182793873. View

10.

Huisman T . Pediatric tumors of the spine. Cancer Imaging. 2009; 9 Spec No A:S45-8. PMC: 2797470. DOI: 10.1102/1470-7330.2009.9012. View

11.

Grayev A, Kissane J, Kanekar S . Imaging approach to the cord T2 hyperintensity (myelopathy). Radiol Clin North Am. 2014; 52(2):427-46. DOI: 10.1016/j.rcl.2013.11.002. View

12.

Barnett Y, Sutton I, Ghadiri M, Masters L, Zivadinov R, Barnett M . Conventional and advanced imaging in neuromyelitis optica. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2013; 35(8):1458-66. PMC: 7964440. DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A3592. View

13.

Boavida P, Muller L, Rosendahl K . Magnetic resonance imaging of the immature skeleton. Acta Radiol. 2013; 54(9):1007-14. DOI: 10.1177/0284185113501945. View

14.

Rodriguez D, Poussaint T . Imaging of back pain in children. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2009; 31(5):787-802. PMC: 7964168. DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A1832. View

15.

Thomas T, Branson H, Verhey L, Shroff M, Stephens D, Magalhaes S . The demographic, clinical, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of transverse myelitis in children. J Child Neurol. 2011; 27(1):11-21. DOI: 10.1177/0883073811420495. View

16.

Smith A, Soderlund K, Rushing E, Smirniotopolous J . Radiologic-pathologic correlation of pediatric and adolescent spinal neoplasms: Part 1, Intramedullary spinal neoplasms. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2011; 198(1):34-43. DOI: 10.2214/AJR.10.7311. View

17.

Neutel D, Teodoro T, Coelho M, Pimentel J, Albuquerque L . Spinal cord astrocytoma mimicking multifocal myelitis. J Spinal Cord Med. 2014; 37(4):429-31. PMC: 4116728. DOI: 10.1179/2045772313Y.0000000187. View

18.

Wingerchuk D, Lennon V, Pittock S, Lucchinetti C, Weinshenker B . Revised diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica. Neurology. 2006; 66(10):1485-9. DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000216139.44259.74. View

19.

Piao Y, Lu D, Su Y, Yang X . Anterior spinal cord infarction caused by fibrocartilaginous embolism. Neuropathology. 2008; 29(2):172-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1789.2008.00938.x. View

20.

Jarius S, Wildemann B . AQP4 antibodies in neuromyelitis optica: diagnostic and pathogenetic relevance. Nat Rev Neurol. 2010; 6(7):383-92. DOI: 10.1038/nrneurol.2010.72. View