Syringomyelia: a diagnosis challenge

ABSTRACT

Syringomyelia is a chronic progressive degenerative disease of the spinal cord which can present with a peculiar neurological features other than the classical brachial amyotrophy and segmental sensory loss of dissociated type. Occasionally, it is present with variable clinical features and can easily be missed as the familiar symptoms and signs of the disease are absent. The diagnostic suspicion is undermined if the patient has other body anomalies which are known to be associated with syringomyelia. We are presenting two cases that illustrate such a diagnostic dilemma and suggest that magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] of the spinal cord should be done in cases lacking the classical features of s ring. omyelia even if the index of suspicion is low