Cystic dilation of the ventriculus terminalis in adults

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasqualino Ciappetta ◽  
Pietro Ivo D'urso ◽  
Sabino Luzzi ◽  
Giuseppe Ingravallo ◽  
Antonia Cimmino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Ultrastructural Study ◽  
Central Canal ◽  
Conus Medullaris ◽  
Anterior Portion ◽  
Nosological Entity ◽  
Histological Characteristics

✓The ventriculus terminalis (VT) is a small ependyma-lined cavity within the conus medullaris that is in direct continuity with the central canal of the anterior portion of the spinal cord. Normally, such a cavity is identifiable only histologically in children and adults and can be visualized using common neuroradiological techniques only after dilation. Currently, the mechanisms of isolated dilation are not documented. The present work describes 2 cases of VT in elderly patients. Data from a histological and ultrastructural study of a case of VT dilation are reported, and the results are compared with those obtained from the VT of 5 fetuses to explain the nosological aspects of nontumoral VT lesions. Our data suggest that the site, age, and histological characteristics of the lesion allow us to define VT dilation as a nosological entity distinct from other cystic dilations of the conus medullaris.

Stenosis of central canal of spinal cord in man: incidence and pathological findings in 232 autopsy cases

1994 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 716-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas H. Milhorat ◽  
René M. Kotzen ◽  
Archinto P. Anzil
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Histological Study ◽  
Central Canal ◽  
Conus Medullaris ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Histological Findings ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Luminal Area ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

✓ The central canal of the spinal cord is generally regarded as a vestigial structure that is obliterated after birth in 70% to 80% of the general population. This report describes the first detailed histological study of the human central canal in 232 subjects ranging in age from 6 weeks' gestation to 92 years. Whole spinal cords were harvested at autopsy and sectioned serially from the conus medullaris to the upper medulla. Histological findings and morphometric analysis of the cross-sectional luminal area were used to grade stenosis at seven levels of the canal. Varying grades of stenosis were present at one or more levels in none (0%) of 60 fetuses, one (3%) of 34 infants, three (18%) of 17 children, 21 (88%) of 24 adolescents and young adults, 67 (96%) of 70 middle-aged adults, and all 27 adults aged 65 years or older (100%). The stenotic process was most pronounced in the thoracic segments of the canal and involved more levels with higher grades of stenosis in older individuals. Histological findings consisted of disorganization of the ependymal epithelium, formation of ependymal rosettes or microcanals, proliferation of subependymal gliovascular buds, and intracanalicular gliosis. These features are consistent with a pathological lesion involving ependymal injury and scarring and are less compatible with an involutional or degenerative process. Stenosis of the central canal probably influences the anatomical features of syringomyelia and may account for variations in cavity formation such as the prevalence of holocord syrinxes in children, the formation of focal and paracentral syrinxes in adults, and the rare incidence of syrinx formation in many older individuals with acquired lesions known to produce syringomyelia.

scholarly journals Sudden paraparesis due to spinal cord ischemia with initial contrast enhancement of the cauda equina and time-delayed owl-eyes sign on follow-up MR imaging: a case report

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedict Breitling ◽  
Frederic Carsten Schmeel ◽  
Alexander Radbruch ◽  
Oliver Kaut
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Contrast Enhancement ◽  
Spinal Cord Ischemia ◽  
Cauda Equina ◽  
Conus Medullaris ◽  
Spinal Ischemia ◽  
Nerve Roots ◽  
Anterior Portion

AbstractWe report on a case of a 52-year-old male with sudden paraparesis. The initial MRI showed contrast enhancement of the conus medullaris and the complete cauda equina. Follow-up MRI revealed a spinal ischemia in the anterior portion of the spinal cord. Only a few reports with similar findings have been published. We suggest that contrast enhancement of the conus medullaris and descending nerve roots can be a potential first indicator of a spinal cord ischemia.

Multisession CyberKnife Radiosurgery for Intramedullary Spinal Cord Arteriovenous Malformations

Neurosurgery ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1081-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Sinclair ◽  
Steven D. Chang ◽  
Iris C. Gibbs ◽  
John R. Adler
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Arteriovenous Malformations ◽  
Conus Medullaris ◽  
Spinal Angiography ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Intramedullary Spinal Cord ◽  
Cyberknife Radiosurgery

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Intramedullary spinal cord arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have an unfavorable natural history that characteristically involves myelopathy secondary to progressive ischemia and/or recurrent hemorrhage. Although some lesions can be managed successfully with embolization and surgery, AVM size, location, and angioarchitecture precludes treatment in many circumstances. Given the poor outlook for such patients, and building on the successful experience with radiosurgical ablation of cerebral AVMs, our group at Stanford University has used CyberKnife (Accuray, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to treat selected spinal cord AVMs since 1997. In this article, we retrospectively analyze our preliminary experience with this technique. METHODS: Fifteen patients with intramedullary spinal cord AVMs (nine cervical, three thoracic, and three conus medullaris) were treated by image-guided SRS between 1997 and 2005. SRS was delivered in two to five sessions with an average marginal dose of 20.5 Gy. The biologically effective dose used in individual patients was escalated gradually over the course of this study. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging follow-up were carried out annually, and spinal angiography was repeated at 3 years. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up period of 27.9 months (range, 3–59 mo), six of the seven patients who were more than 3 years from SRS had significant reductions in AVM volumes on interim magnetic resonance imaging examinations. In four of the five patients who underwent postoperative spinal angiography, persistent AVM was confirmed, albeit reduced in size. One patient demonstrated complete angiographic obliteration of a conus medullaris AVM 26 months after radiosurgery. There was no evidence of further hemorrhage after CyberKnife treatment or neurological deterioration attributable to SRS. CONCLUSION: This description of CyberKnife radiosurgical ablation demonstrates its feasibility and apparent safety for selected intramedullary spinal cord AVMs. Additional experience is necessary to ascertain the optimal radiosurgical dose and ultimate efficacy of this technique.

scholarly journals Crumbs2 mediates ventricular layer remodelling to form the spinal cord central canal

PLoS Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. e3000470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Tait ◽  
Kavitha Chinnaiya ◽  
Elizabeth Manning ◽  
Mariyam Murtaza ◽  
John-Paul Ashton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Central Canal

Radiotherapy of metastatic spinal cord compression in very elderly patients

2007 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 256-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk Rades ◽  
Peter J. Hoskin ◽  
Johann H. Karstens ◽  
Volker Rudat ◽  
Theo Veninga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Spinal Cord Compression ◽  
Cord Compression ◽  
Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression ◽  
Very Elderly

Anatomical and physiological studies of the gray matter surrounding the spinal cord central canal

1983 ◽  
Vol 220 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Nahin ◽  
Anne M. Madsen ◽  
Glenn J. Giesler
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Central Canal ◽  
Physiological Studies
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