ACUTE INFECTIOUS DISORDERS OF THE SPINAL-CORD AND ITS ROOTS WITH GADOLINIUM-DTPA ENHANCEMENT IN MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

We studied three patients with myelomeningoradiculitis caused by Borre lia burgdorferi, herpes tester virus or cytomegalovirus infection. All patients underwent MRI of the spinal cord with gadolinium-DTPA and sh owed enhancing lesions of the spinal cord or nerve roots that correlat ed with clinical signs. Gadolinium-DTPA enhancement may visualize lesi ons that suggest an inflammation associated with blood-brain-barrier a lteration and indicate the diagnosis before serological results are av ailable.