The Cervical Spinal Canal Tapers Differently in Patients with Chiari I with and without Syringomyelia

• DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a4597
• Publication Date: 2016-01-11T17:25:11Z
• Authors: A. Thompson; N. Madan; J.R. Hesselink; G. Weinstein; A. Munoz del Rio; V. Haughton
• Keywords: Syrinx (medicine); Chiari Malformation

<h3>BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:</h3> The cause of syringomyelia in patients with Chiari I remains uncertain. Cervical spine anatomy modifies CSF velocities, flow patterns, and pressure gradients, which may affect the spinal cord. We tested hypothesis that cervical differs between without syringomyelia. <h3>MATERIALS METHODS:</h3> identified consecutive at 3 institutions divided them into groups Five readers measured anteroposterior diameters, tonsillar herniation, syrinx dimensions on MR images. Taper ratios for C1–C7, C1–C4, C4–C7 segments were calculated by linear least squares fitting to appropriate canal diameters. Mean taper herniation compared statistical significance a Kruskal-Wallis test. Inter- intrareader agreement correlations data measured. <h3>RESULTS:</h3> One hundred fifty included, 49 had C1–C7 smaller greater than those it. C1–C4 did not differ significantly groups. Patients had, average, syrinx. However, steeper, all degrees tonsil Differences among exceed differences patient <h3>CONCLUSIONS:</h3> tapering lower contribute development I.