SYRINGOMYELIA - RELATION BETWEEN TONSILLAR HERNIATION AND THE DIMENSIONS OF THE SYRINX AND THE REMAINING SPINAL-CORD - A QUANTITATIVE MRI STUDY

The dimensions of the syrinx, the remaining spinal cord and the degree of cerebellar herniation were analyzed by one- and two-dimensional MR I studies in 22 patients with syringomyelia. A deep and/or broad cyst tends to be a long one. The dimensions of the syrinx and the spinal co rd have an inverse relationship. The degree of cerebellar herniation i s not related to the longitudinal or transverse extension of the cyst or the ratio cyst/cord or the remaining spinal cord (neither for diame ters nor for cross-sectional areas). The dimensions of cysts are not s ignificantly greater in patients with tonsillar herniation than in pat ients without. We conclude that cerebellar herniation is not a major p rognostic factor and should not be overestimated for the development a nd progression of the disease.