• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.270-273
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• 2016

Muscular hypertrophy is caused mainly due to myopathic disorder. But, it is also rarely produced by neurogenic disorder. A 74-year-old woman complained of right calf pain with hypertrophy for several years. Recent lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed central and lateral canal narrowing at the L4-L5 intervertebral space. Lower extremity MRI revealed fatty change of right medial head of the gastrocnemius and soleus, causing right calf hypertrophy. Electrodiagnostic examinations including electromyography and nerve conduction velocity testing demonstrated $5^{th}$ lumbar and $1^{st}$ sacral polyradiculopathy. Integrating all the results, the diagnosis was neurogenic muscle hypertrophy. Neurogenic muscle hypertrophy is very rare, but we recommend that clinicians consider this problem when a patient complains of lower limb hypertrophy and pain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.54-57
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• 2006

Central nervous system[CNS] involvement of acute lymphoblastic leukemia may occur. However, CNS involvement as a first manifestation of leukemia is very rare. An 8-year-old girl complained of a backache after playing in the water. Neurological examination detected progressing paraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging[MRI] of the thoracolumbar spine showed a well-circumscribed homogeneous posterior extradural mass lesion extending from T7 to T9. MRI of the brain showed diffused fatty marrow replacement of the calvarium and the skull base. We report a patient with epidural Burkitt's lymphoma of the thoracic and lumbar vertebra causing compression of the spinal cord after pathologic evaluation. The tumor consisted mainly of lymphoblastic cells, which were identical to those originally seen in the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. After decompressive laminectomy she began consolidation chemotherapy.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

The spine is the most common location for skeletal metastases, and the incidence of spinal metastasis shows an increasing tendency. Because metastatic spinal tumors progress from an anterior element to a posterior element resulting in continuing destruction of the pedicles, epidural extension and involvement of neural structures of the metastatic tumor are eventually visible. Therefore, it is clinically significant for radiologists to understand the pathophysiology of spinal metastasis and to assess the involvement of neural structures and the disintegration of spinal instability related to the pathophysiology. As MRI is also the best imaging modality for diagnosing spinal metastasis, radiologists should accurately assess spinal metastasis and provide practical information to physicians. Therefore, we will describe some analysis points focusing on the understanding of pathophysiology of spinal metastasis and the next step toward a more extensive clinical approach using MR imaging.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.693-694
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• 2019

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.225-232
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• 2021

Objective: To determine whether changes in the transiting nerve rootlet or its surroundings, as seen on MRI performed after lumbar hemilaminectomy, are associated with persistent postoperative pain (PPP), commonly known as the failed back surgery syndrome. Materials and Methods: Seventy-three patients (mean age, 61 years; 43 males and 30 females) who underwent single-level partial hemilaminectomy of the lumbar spine without postoperative complications or other level spinal abnormalities between January 2010 and December 2018 were enrolled. Two musculoskeletal radiologists evaluated transiting nerve rootlet abnormalities (thickening, signal alteration, distinction, and displacement), epidural fibrosis, and intrathecal arachnoiditis on MRI obtained one year after the operations. A spine surgeon blinded to the radiologic findings evaluated each patient for PPP. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to evaluate the association between the MRI findings and PPP. Results: The presence of transiting nerve rootlet thickening, signal alteration, and ill-distinction was significantly different between the patients with PPP and those without, for both readers (p ≤ 0.020). Conversely, the presence of transiting nerve rootlet displacement, epidural fibrosis, and intrathecal arachnoiditis was not significantly different between the two groups (p ≥ 0.128). Among the above radiologic findings, transiting nerve rootlet thickening and signal alteration were the most significant findings in the multivariable analyses (p ≤ 0.009). Conclusion: On MRI, PPP was associated with transiting nerve rootlet abnormalities, including thickening, signal alterations, and ill-distinction, but was not associated with epidural fibrosis or intrathecal arachnoiditis. The most relevant findings were the nerve rootlet thickening and signal alteration.

• Journal of Korean Society of Spine Surgery
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.169-174
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• 2018

Study Design: Case report. Objectives: We report a case of pure epidural cavernous hemangioma located at the thoracolumbar spine in a 53-year-old woman that mimicked a neurogenic tumor on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Summary of Literature Review: A pure spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma without bony involvement is a very rare lesion about which limited information is available in the literature. Materials and Methods: A 53-year-old woman visited our clinic for hypoesthesia with a tingling sensation in the left anterolateral thigh that had begun a month ago. No other neurologic symptoms or signs were present upon a neurologic examination. MRI from an outside hospital showed a $2.0{\times}0.5cm$ elongated mass at the T11-12 left neural foramen. The tumor was completely removed in piecemeal fashion. Results: The histopathologic examination revealed a cavernous hemangioma, which was the final diagnosis. The outcome was favorable in that only operation-related mild back pain remained, without any neurologic deficits, after a postoperative follow-up of 2 years and 3 months. No recurrence was observed on MRI at 2 years postoperatively. Conclusion: Pure epidural spinal cavernous hemangioma is very rare, and it is very difficult to differentiate from other epidural lesions. However, we believe that it should be included in the differential diagnosis of spinal epidural tumors due to its favorable prognosis.

• Asian Spine Journal
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.1060-1068
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• 2018

Study Design: Retrospective study. Purpose: Lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration is an important cause of low back pain. Overview of Literature: Spinal fusion is often reported to have a good course for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, many studies have reported that adjacent segment degeneration is accelerated after lumbar spinal fusion. Radiography is a simple method used to evaluate the orientation of the vertebral column. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the method most often used to specifically evaluate intervertebral disc degeneration. The Pfirrmann classification is a well-known method used to evaluate degenerative lumbar disease. After spinal fusion, an increase in stress, excess mobility, increased intra-disc pressure, and posterior displacement of the axis of motion have been observed in the adjacent segments. Methods: we retrospectively secured and analyzed the data of 15 patients (four boys and 11 girls) with AIS who underwent a spinal fusion surgery. We studied the full-length view of the spine (anterior-posterior and lateral) from the X-ray and MRI obtained from all patients before surgery. Postoperatively, another full-length spine X-ray and lumbosacral MRI were obtained from all participants. Then, pelvic tilt, sacral slope, curve correction, and fused and free segments before and after surgery were calculated based on X-ray studies. MRI images were used to estimate the degree to which intervertebral discs were degenerated using Pfirrmann grading system. Pfirrmann grade before and after surgery were compared with Wilcoxon signed rank test. While analyzing the contribution of potential risk factors for the post-spinal fusion Pfirrmann grade of disc degeneration, we used generalized linear models with robust standard error estimates to account for intraclass correlation that may have been present between discs of the same patient. Results: The mean age of the participant was 14 years, and the mean curvature before and after surgery were 67.8 and 23.8, respectively (p<0.05). During the median follow-up of 5 years, the mean degree of the disc degeneration significantly increased in all patients after surgery (p<0.05) with a Pfirrmann grade of 1 and 2.8 in the L2-L3 before and after surgery, respectively. The corresponding figures at L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 levels were 1.28 and 2.43, 1.07 and 2.35, and 1 and 2.33, respectively. The lower was the number of free discs below the fusion level, the higher was the Pfirrmann grade of degeneration (p<0.001). Conversely, the higher was the number of the discs fused together, the higher was the Pfirrmann grade. Conclusions: we observed that the disc degeneration aggravated after spinal fusion for scoliosis. While the degree of degeneration as measured by Pfirrmann grade was directly correlated by the number of fused segments, it was negatively correlated with the number of discs that remained free below the lowermost level of the fusion.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.384-390
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• 1994

Authors retrospectively compared the 99mTc MDP bone scans and corresponding MR imagings in 20 patients with histologically proven malignancy, Mean interval of the two studies was 16.6 days, Cancer diagnosis Included 8 lung, 2 each of colon, breast, stomach, 1 each of prostate, thyroid, malignant lymphoma and 3 adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site. Of the 105 regions compared, :t6 regions were positive for metastases in bone scans or MR imagings. 30 regions(65.2%) were positive by bone scan and 44 regions(95.7%) by MR imaging. 87 regions(82.9%) were concordantly positive or negative by bone scan and MR imaging, but 18 regions(17.1%) were discordant. In the discordant regions, 16 regions positive in MR imaging were negative in bone scan. The greatest number of discordant findings occured in the cervical region and in the patient with stomach cancer. Our results suggest that the sensitivity of MR Imaging is greater than that of bone scan in detecting spinal metastases. And bone scan is useful screening test of metastasis for evaluating entire skeleton including spine.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

Objectives : The os odontoideum is an uncommon abnormality which is due to non fusion of axis and odontoid process that exists as a separate ossicle apart from a hypoplastic dens. Its clinical significance lies in its potential to produce serious neurologic symptoms after cervical Chuna Manipulation Treatment. We experienced a patient diagnosed as os odontoideum which corresponds to absolute contra-indications of chuna manipulation treatment and report it. Methods : The patient was diagnosed as os odontoideum through cervical spine CT and MRI. Results and Conclusion : During cervical physical examination, we encountered L'hermitte's phenomenon from the patient and suspected one of contra-indications of chuna manipulation treatment. We could diagnose the patient as os odontoideum through cervical spine CT, MRI and prevent him from severe sequelae caused by chuna manipulation treatment.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to find out the characteristics of intervertebral disc changes and relative factors of the spondylolisthesis patients in fifties by type of spondylolisthesis. Methods : We investigated 69 cases of patients who visited one Korean traditional medicine hospital and were diagnosed as spondylolisthesis on L-spine X-ray and L-spine magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). We selected 37 lytic spondylolisthesis patients and 32 degenerative spondylolisthesis patients. We analysed the relativity between the numbers of changed discs, types of changed disc, locations of nerve compression and types of spondylolisthesis. Results : 1. The number of changed discs increase in lytic type, but there is no statistically significant difference. 2. Bulging disc is the dominant type of disc change. There is no significant difference between two types. 3. Both foraminal type was shown dominantly in lytic spondylolisthesis, diffuse type in degenerative spondylolisthesis by the analysis of the location of the nerve compression. But the symptoms of patients and dermatome did not match in most of the cases. Conculsions : The direction of nerve compression is different while the disc changing aspects are similar in both types. In several spondylolisthesis patients in fifties, symptoms of patient are related to degeneration of vertebrae, not to the type of spondylolisthesis.