Myelomalacia refers to the softening of the spinal cord as a result of ischemia or compression.
Symptomatology
Myelomalacia can present with a transverse myelopathy with varying degrees of severity.
Imaging
The optimal imaging modality for depicting myelomalacia is MRI imaging. On MRI, myelomalacia typically appears as follows[^1]:
Stage of Myelomalacia | MRI Characteristics |
Early | Hyperintensities in T2-weighted MRI affecting the diameter of the myelon |
Intermediate | Variable presentation of cystic necrosis in the gray matter, especially visible in the T2 sequence. |
Late | Central cystic degeneration. Syrinx formation and atrophy. |
Prognosis
Myelomalacia in the early stage can be reversible, but this depends on the severity of the initial spinal cord injury[^1].