Diastematomyelia

  • Etiology: Part of split notochord syndrome
  • Imaging:
    — Bisected spinal cord (85% at thoracic-lumbar spine) with bony spicule or fibrous band in between
    — Intersegmental laminar fusion – vertical fusion of lamina
  • DDX:
  • Complications:
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical: Skin stigmata – faun’s tail, pigmentation, hemangioma

Radiology Cases of Diastematomyelia

CT of diastematomyelia
AP radiograph of the spine (left) suggests a linear piece of bone in the center of the spinal canal at the L2-L3 level. Axial CT without contrast of the spine at the L2-L3 level (right) shows the spinal cord and thecal sac are bisected by a boney bridge in the center of the spinal canal. There is also evidence of vertical fusion of the spinal lamina.
CT of diastematomyelia
Axial CT without contrast of the lumbar spine shows a piece of bone bisecting the spinal canal.
CT of diastematomyelia
Vintage AP tomogram obtained through the posterior elements of the lumbar spine (left) shows a linear piece of bone in the midline between the L3 and L4 vertebral bodies. Axial CT without contrast of the spine (right) through the L3/L4 disc space shows a piece of bone in the center of the spinal canal
Radiograph of diastematomyelia
AP radiograph of the thoracolumbar spine shows a bone spur in the midline of the spinal canal at the T12-L1 level.
Myelogram of diastematomyelia
AP image from a vintage lumbar myelogram exam after injection of contrast in the spinal canal shows an ovoid filling defect in the center of the spinal canal from L1 to L2.
Myelogram of diastematomyelia
AP vintage conventional myelogram at the level of the thoracolumbar junction shows an oval filling defect in the center of the thecal sac.