RÉSUMÉ
Objective To analyze the clinical evolution and atypical spinal cord MRI features of myelitis post severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection.Methods Four patients with myelitis post the SARS-CoV-2 infection were retrospectively analyzed regarding the clinical manifestations,the dynamic changes of the spinal cord MRI and the treatment outcomes.Results The time latencies from SARS-CoV-2 infection to the onset of myelitis of the 4 patients were 5 d,15 d,80 d,and 30 d,respectively.The onset symptoms were numbness and weakness of lower limbs in 3 patients,and back pain with weakness of lower limbs in 1 patient.The peak symptoms included paraplegia,sphincter dysfunction,sensory plane and spastic gait.The expanded disability status score(EDSS)of the 4 patients were 7.5,9.0,9.0 and 7.5,respectively.Initial spinal cord MRI showed normal in 1 case,linear meningeal enhancement in 1 case,and punctate T2 signal changes in 2 cases.Spinal cord MRI at the peak of the symptoms showed patchy,linear and cloudy-like high signals on sagittal T2,which mainly distributed in lateral and posterior cords on axial T2.The prominent features of the MRI findings were the linear meningeal enhancement that appeared in all 4 cases during the disease and their mismatch with the severity of clinical symptoms.Two of the four patients received pulse methylprednisolone combined with plasma exchange therapy and did not show significant improvement,and all 4 patients were left with significant disability.Conclusions Myelitis post SARS-CoV-2 infection usually presents typical symptoms of myelitis,while the spinal cord MRI presents patchy,linear and cloudy-like high signals,with linear meningeal enhancement.The delayed and atypical spinal cord MRI findings need additional attention.