Primary and secondary tethered cord syndromes. Their nuclear magnetic tomographic diagnosis and comparison with the surgical findings in 40 patients

Abstract

The MRT findings in 40 patients with the tethered cord syndrome (TCS) have been compared with the operative findings. In cases of primary TCS (17 patients), MRT showed a low conus medullaris in 15 cases and this was confirmed surgically in 14. Other abnormal findings were lipomas (MRT 12/operatively 13), diastematomyelia (MRT 2/operatively 2) and thickened filum terminale (MRT 6/operatively 3). In secondary TCS (23 patients) postoperatively adhesions were prominent (MRT 16/operatively 23) while low position of the conus was found by MRT in 19 and surgically in 18 patients. Other findings were lipomas (MRT 5/operatively 6), epidermoids (MRT 2/operatively 2) and diastematomyelia (MRT 2/operatively 0). Agreement between MRT and operative findings regarding fixation of the spinal cord is closer in primary TCS (15/17, 88%) than in secondary TCS (16/23, 69%).