Adult diastematomyelia.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a rare report of a patient with clinically silent diastematomyelia unrecognized into adulthood.

OBJECTIVE

The report demonstrates that diastematomyelia may be clinically silent and may not be evident on routine myelography without computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

A patient presented with lumbar radiculopathy in adulthood. Neurologic examination was normal. Radiographs revealed spina bifida occulta at L5 and the sacrum. Previous myelography demonstrated only a central bulging intervertebral disc at L4-L5. Metrizamide myelography with post-myelography computed tomography demonstrated diastematomyelia with tethered cord.

CONCLUSIONS

Myelography alone may be insufficient in demonstrating the pathology described here. Post-myelography computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging sufficiently demonstrated the abnormality in this patient.