2. TOPIC - AT A GLANCE
• Anatomical aspect
• Imaging in spinal cord disease
• Classification of spinal cord pathology
• Clinical approach to spinal cord pathology
• Localization in spinal cord disease
• Special pattern of spinal cord diseases
• Case scenarios
10. Spinal Cord Pathology
I. Vertebral cause-
1) Trauma
2) Disc prolapse
3) Tumour- primary e.g. MM; secondary e.g. breast,
thyroid, prostate, bronchus
4) Spinal TB-(Pott’s disease)
II. Meningeal cause-
1) Epidural abscess
2) Tumor - meningioma, neurofibroma, lymphoma,
leukaemia
11. Spinal Cord Pathology
III) Spinal cord itself-
Developmental:
o Syringomyelia,
o Meningomyelocoele
o Tetherd cord syndrome
Degenerative:
o MND
o FA
o SCD
o HSP
Demyelinating/ Inflamatory:
o Transverse myelitis
o Multiple Sclerosis
o Neuromyelitis Optica
12. Spinal Cord Pathology
Infective:
o Bacterial-TB, Syphilis
o Viral-EBV, Polio, HIV, VZV, HSV
o Parasitic- Schistosomiasis, Toxoplasmosis
Deficiency:
o Vitamin B12 deficiency
o Vitamin E deficiency
o Copper deficiency
o Lathyrism
15. The Hallmark of spinal cord disease
Presence of horizontally defined level below
which there will be impairment of sensory, motor
and autonomic function.
16. Cervical Cord
Above C5: Spastic Quadriplegia and diaphragm weakness
C5-T1: Quadriplegia (LMN signs and segmental sensory
loss in the arms & UMN signs in the legs) and respiratory
(intercostal) muscle weakness
17. At C5-C6:Loss of power & reflex of biceps
At C7: Weakness in finger and wrist extensors and
triceps.
At C8: Finger & wrist flexion are impaired.
Horner’s syndrome may accompany
Cervical Cord
18. Thoracic Cord
Spastic Paraplegia with a sensory level on the trunk
Bowel & Bladder involvement
Abdominal reflex (T8-T12) lost above T8 lesion
(segmental lesion T8-T9:above the umbilicus;
T10-T12:below the umbilicus)
19. Lumbar Cord
L2-L4:
Weakness of flexion & adduction of thigh.
Weakness in leg extension at knee
Absent Knee jerks (L3-L4)
L5-S1:
Weakness of foot & ankle and flexion at the knee &
extension of the thigh
Absent ankle jerks (S1)
23. Basic Features of Spinal Cord Disease
• UMN findings below the lesion (spasticity,
hyper-reflexia). May be flaccid in acute
presentation.
• Sensory and motor involvement that localizes to
a spinal cord level.
• Bowel and Bladder dysfunction.
24. Some terminology
Myelopathy Radiculopathy
Definition Any pathological process in the spinal
cord (intrinsic and extrinsic)
Pathological process in the exiting
nerve root
Feature • Hypertonia
• Pyramidal type weakness
• Brisk reflex
• Extensor plantar response
• Loss of sensation ( with a specific
level)
• Loss of sphincter control
• Autonomic dysfunction
• Hypotonia
• Muscle wasting
• Weakness
• Fasciculation
• Loss of reflex
• Loss of sensation
25. Compressive and non compressive
myelopathy
CM (surgical) NCM (Medical)
1. Pain - usual 1. Rare
2. Onset - sub acute (2-6 wks) 2. Acute or chronic (≥ 6 wks)
3. Paralysis - Asymmetrical 3. Symmetrical
4. Bowel bladder – Occasionally late involvement 4. May be involved early
5. Sensory limit - asymmetrical 5. Symmetrical or absent
6. Temporal profile - Progressive 6. Non progressive
26. Intramedullary and extra medullary
syndrome
Trait Intramedullary Extramedullary
1. Early symptoms Motor features Sensory features
2. Pain Poorly localized Prominent radicular
3. Sacral sensation Sacral sparing Early sacral sensory loss
4. Motor weakness Upper limb may be affected early Lower limb affected early
5. Sphincter disturbance Appears early Appears late
28. Epiconus and Conus Syndrome
Epiconus Conus
1. Lesion is between L4-S2 1. Lesion between S3-Co1
2. Motor deficit usually above the knee 2. Motor deficit in lower limb less likely
3. Weakness of hip extensor and knee
flexor
3. Not such type
4. Pain may not be present 4. Pain may be present
5. Bladder is involved late 5. Early bladder involvement
29. Conus and Cauda syndrome
Trait Conus Cauda
1. Onset Sudden and bilateral Gradual and unilateral
2. Pain Less common Severe, radicular
3. Location of pain Symmetric, perineum or thigh Asymmetric, perineum, thigh,
leg or back
4. Motor loss If occurs, Symmetric, less marked Asymmetric, more marked
5. Reflex Absent ankle Variable- Absent ankle and
knee
6. Sensory deficit Saddle distribution (S3-5), symmetric Saddle but asymmetric
7. Bowel and bladder
disturbance
Early and marked Late and less marked
8. Sexual dysfunction Occurs Less prominent
30. PARAPLEGIA IN FLEXION PARAPLEGIA IN EXTENSION
Following complete transection of
SC
Following incomplete transection
of SC
Muscle tone reappears in flexor
muscles first (reticulospinal tract)
Muscle tone reappears in extensor
muscles first (Intact vestibulospinal
tract)
Flexor reflexes are first to return
(eg, Planter response)
Extensor reflex returns first (eg,
crossed extensor reflex)
Occurs late Occurs early
Higher lesion Lower lesion
31. Spinal shock Neurogenic shock
Definition Immediate temporary loss of
total power, sensation and
reflexes below the level of
injury
Sudden loss of the sympathetic
nervous system signals
BP Hypotension Hypotension
Pulse Bradycardia Bradycardia
Bulbocavernosus
reflex
Absent Variable
Motor Flaccid paralysis Variable
Time 48-72 hrs immediate after SCI
Mechanism Peripheral neurons become
temporarily unresponsive to
brain stimuli
Disruption of autonomic pathways
loss of sympathetic tone and
vasodilation
33. Type of Spinal Cord lesion
Complete or transverse lesion
Incomplete lesion
a) Anterior cord syndrome
b) Posterior cord syndrome
c) Hemi cord syndrome
d) Central cord syndrome
e) Foramen magnum syndrome
f) Conus medullaris syndrome
g) Cauda equina syndrome
34. Complete cord transection
syndrome
• Bilateral spastic
paraparesis/ quadriparesis
• Bilateral loss of all
modalities of sensation.
• Bowel &bladder
dysfunction.
• LMN feature at the level
of lesion
• Cause :
o Trauma
o Vasculitis
o ATM
35. Brown-sequard syndrome (Hemi cord syndrome)
Motor-
• Ipsilateral spastic weakness
• LMN sign at the level of lesion
Sensory:
• Ipsilateral loss of proprioception.
• Contralateral loss of pain and
temperature sensation
36. Anterior cord syndrome
• All cord function are
lost below the level of
lesion with retained
position & vibration
sense.
• Cause :
o Disc prolapse
o Ant. Spinal artery
occlusion
37. Posterior cord syndrome
• Common in cervical region
• Both sided joint position and
vibration sense are lost sparing
the other sensory and motor tract
• Cause:
o DM
o Neurosyphilis
o Spondylosis
o Posterior spinal artery occlusion
38. Central cord syndrome (Schneider syndrome)
• Dissociated sensory loss in
a cape distribution.
• Symptoms depend on
extension of lesion around
the central canal.
• Weakness of muscles in
arms with atrophy and
hyporeflexia.
• Later - Spastic weakness
with brisk reflexes in the
legs
39. C/F
• Neck pain –radiating to shoulder
• Occipital H/A
• Variable sensory loss
• Weakness and wasting of hand and
neck muscles
• Quadriparesis-round the clock
(LA→LL→RL→RA)
Cause- Compressive lesion
(meningioma, neurofibroma) in the
region of foramen magnum
Foramen magnum syndrome:
40. Spinal shock syndrome
• This clinical condition follows acute severe damage to
the cord.
• All cord function below the level of lesion becomes
depressed or lost.
• Usually lasts less than 24 hrs but may last for 4-6 wks
• On recovery : reflex-tone-power may regain
this fashion.
• 5-10% patients may not recover from spinal shock
41. Phases of Spinal
shock :
Phase Time Physical exam. finding Underlying physiological
events
1 0-1 day Areflexia/Hyporeflexia Loss of descending facilitation
2 1-3 day Initial reflex return Denervation super sensitivity
3 1-4 wks. Hyper reflexia (initial) Axon supported synapse growth
4 1-12 months Spasticity Soma supported synapse growth
43. Cauda equina syndrome
• Radicular low back pain
• Asymmetrical lower limb
weakness & sensory loss
• Variable areflexia
• Relative sparing of bowel &
bladder.
• Planter may be flexor or absent.
• Cause :
o Disc prolapse
o Tumour
o Trauma
44. Combined posterior & lateral column
lesion:
Causes include-
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Copper deficiency
Myelopathy with AIDS
HTLV-1 associated myelopathy
Thoracic cord is most commonly affected
45. Combined posterior&lateral column
lesion:
C/F-
• Paresthesia in the feet
• Loss of position and vibration sense in the legs
• Sensory ataxia
• Positive Romberg sign
• Bladder function disturbance
• Spasticity, hyperreflexia and bilateral Babinski sign
47. CLINICAL APPROACH ...
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED:
•Onset e.g. acute, subacute, chronic
•Progression e.g. static, improving, worsening
•Bladder involvement e.g. early, late, none
•Presence of pain e.g. mechanical pain, radicular pain, none
•Presence of fever e.g. abscess, Potts
•Flaccid/ Spastic
•Other systemic features e.g. weight loss, skin/lymph nodes/joints-
malignancy, vasculitic
51. CLINICAL APPROACH . . .
PAIN:
Mechanical:
o Vertebral cause
Radicular:
o Meningeal cause
o Inflammatory cause
No pain:
o Spinal cord cause
52. CLINICAL APPROACH . . .
NATURE OF PARAPLAGIA:
Flaccid-
•Spinal shock (up to 6 wks.)
•Cauda equina lesion
•Conus medullaris lesion
Spastic-
•Lesion usually in Cervical and Dorsal cord due to any
cause (after spinal shock is recovered)
53. EXAMINATION
A) Types of deficit -
Motor deficit only
Sensory deficit only
Mixed deficit
B) Types of motor deficit - UMN, LMN
C) Pattern of sensory loss -
Posterior column loss
Spinothalamic loss
Dissociative loss
D) Bladder involvement
Involved : Tumor, TM, Demyelination.
Not involved : Degenerative, Deficiency, Toxin
54. Clinical clues
A) Motor deficit
UMN LMN
B/B+ B/B- B/B+ B/B-
Cortical
paraplegia
Tumor
•MND
•HSP
•Lathyrism
•Tumor
•ATM with
Spinal shock
•Trauma
•Post vaccine
•Tumor
• Polio
• SMA
• GBS
• MMNCB
55. Clinical clues
B) Sensory deficit only C) Mixed deficit
• Posterior cord syndrome ● Tumour
• Foramen magnum syndrome ● Cauda equina syndrome
• Tabes ● Conus syndrome
• Paraneoplastic
• MS
59. A 17 yr old boy presented with tingling, numbness and paresthesia in hand and
leg. Examination revealed dissociated and suspended sensory loss.
Syringomyelia
60. A 38 yr old man presented with chronic back pain, low grade fever and
progressive weakness of both the lower limbs. Examination revealed a gibbus at
D1 level.
Potts Disease
61. A 62 old man, known case of psoriasis, presented with new onset back pain and
high grade fever. Lower cervical and upper thoracic spine was tender on palpation.
Investigation revealed neutrophilic leucocytosis with high ESR and CRP.
Spinal Epidural Abscess
62. A 25 yr old man presented with progressive weakness of both the lower limb
along with a severe sensory loss up to mid chest and bladder problem for last 2
weeks following a H/O vaccination against Hepatitis B.
Acute Transverse Myelitis (Vaccine related)
63. A 35 yr old lady presented with progressive paraparesis with impaired
sensorium extending to D4 level. Two weeks later she developed dimness of
vision in both eyes.
Neuromyelitis Optica
64. A 17 yr old boy presented with sudden weakness of all 4 limbs along with
difficulty in speech and deglutition with impaired level of consciousness
following an episode of flu like illness.
ADEM
65. A 24 yr old lady presented with sensory disturbance of both the lower limbs.
She had a H/O visual disturbance in one eye and weakness of all four limbs a
couple of years back.
Multiple Sclerosis
69. A 34 yr old man presented with
gait ataxia, tingling and
numbness in all four limbs, brisk
reflexes but absent ankle jerk
with extensor planter response.
He gave H/O illeal resection 10
years back. PBF showed
megalocyte and there was
decreased Vit B12 level.
Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord
70. A 42 yr old woman noticed chronic pain in cervico-thoracic region followed by
progressive weakness of all four limbs and mild bladder disturbance for last 11
months.
Extradural Meningioma
71. A 28 yr old man presented with pain in neck and shoulder and numbness in
limbs followed by progressive weakness of all four limbs (Lt arm-Lt leg-Rt
leg-Rt arm).
Foramen magnum syndrome
Neurofibroma
72. A 3 yr old boy presented with
cervical pain and weakness of
all four limbs without any
bowel or bladder problem.
Astrocytoma
73. A 65 yr old woman presented with radicular pain and distal weakness of both
upper limb. She is a known case of apical lung tumour.
Multiple Metastasis to spine and spinal cord
75. A 22 yr old lady presented with progressive weakness of both lower limbs
along with retention of urine for last two years. Examination revealed spastic
paraplegia with ill defined sensory deficit up to umbilicus.
Spinal AVM
76. A 42 yr old man presented with radiating low back pain, progressive difficulty
in walking along with tingling and numbness in limbs, urinary retention and
erectile dysfunction for last two years.
Spinal DAVF