Spinal cord infarction (MR).

Clinical impression:

• A history of acute left lower limb weakness and urinary and faecal incontinence with clinical signs of and upper dorsal regions spinal cord lesion is noted.

Imaging technique:

• Sagittal and axial T1-weighted images and T2-weighted images of the cervical spine and the dorsal spine were obtained with the following findings:

Findings:

• There is evidence of focal area of altered signal intensity within the spinal cord between second dorsal to the 4th dorsal vertebra.
• These area is bright on the T2-weighted images and is predominantly involving the central portion of the cord and the left side of the cord.  There is no obvious vascular abnormality.
• There is evidence of a focal area of bright signal within the posterior aspect of the vertebral body at the D-4 level.
• The rest of the spinal cord is unremarkable.
• On the postcontrast study, there is no obvious abnormal enhancement in this location.
• There is evidence of degenerative changes in the intervertebral disks without any significant spinal canal or neural foraminal narrowing.
• The visible portions of the aorta and the lungs are normal.
• The rest of the soft tissues are normal.
• Impression:
• Features are suggestive of focal area of spinal cord infarction involving the upper dorsal region of the spinal cord primarily involving the central part as well as the left half of the cord.
• The differential considerations been focal area of transverse myelitis.