Differential diagnosis of spondylotic myelopathy
- approximately 12% of patients with myelopathic features attributed to a degenerative spondylosis actually have a different underlying problem
- intra-spinal tumours, syringomyelia, and Arnold–Chiari malformations may all mimic spondylotic myelopathy
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis are also in the differential
- cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid arthritis may cause cervical instability, and thus myelopathy
- however this is a feature of chronic rheumatoid disease, which should thus be obvious from the history and examination
Reference:
- ARC (January 2002). Rheumatic Disease in Practice
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