Summary
Three cases of sarcoidosis of the cauda equina are presented. In two there was no previous history suggestive of sarcoidosis and the presentation was one of a painful flaccid paralysis; in these the diagnosis was made after myelography and laminectomy with subsequent histology. The third patient had a previous diagnosis of lupus pernio and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to aid diagnosis. Only two previous cases have been reported of sarcoidosis presenting in the cauda equina with no other systemic manifestations. This is the first report of the use of MRI in sarcoidosis of the lower meninges.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banerjee T, Hunt WE (1972) Spinal sarcoidosis. J Neurosurg 36:490–493
Baruah JK, Glasauer FE, Sil R, Smith BH (1978) Sarcoidosis of the cervical spinal cord: case report. Neurosurgery 3:216–218
Campbell JN, Black PB, Ostrow PT (1977) Sarcoid of the cauda equina. J Neurosurg 47:109–112
Day AL, Sypert GW (1977) Spinal cord sarcoidosis. Ann Neurol 1:79–85
Delaney P (1977) Neurologic manifestations of sarcoidosis review of the literature with a report of 23 cases. Ann Intern Med 87:336–345
Emery JP, Lasserre PP, Dryll A (1972) Les manifestations neurologiques peripheriques de la sarcoidose. Sem Hop Paris 48:3039–3043
Greco A, Steiner RE (1987) Magnetic resonance imaging in neurosarcoidosis. Magn Reson Imaging 5:15–21
James DG, Williams WJ (1985) Sarcoidosis and other granulomatous disorders. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 89–96
Kelly RB, Mahoney PD, Cawley KM (1988) MR demonstration of spinal cord sarcoidosis: report of a case. AJNR 9:197–199
Marra TR (1982) Sarcoid polyradiculopathy with myelographic confirmation. Wis Med J 81:15–21
Maycock RL, Bertrand P, Morrison CE, Scott JH (1963) Manifestations of sarcoidosis: analysis of 145 patients with a review of the literature. Am J Med 35:67–89
Miller DH, Kendall BE, Barter S, Johnson G, MacManus DG, Logsdail SJ, Ormerod IEC, McDonald WI (1988) Magnetic resonance imaging in central nervous system sarcoidosis. Neurology 38:378–383
Scadding JG, Mitchell DN (1985) Sarcoidosis. Chapman and Hall, London, pp 310–328
Schott B, Michel D, Lejeune E, Bouvier M, Vauzelle JL, Girard R, Roumagoux J, Ramel P, Bouvier S (1968) Polyradiculonevrites au cours de la maladie de Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann. J Med Lyon 49:931–937
Stern BJ, Krumholz A, Johns C, Scott P, Nissim J (1985) Sarcoidosis and its neurological manifestations. Arch Neurol 42:909–917
Strickland GT, Moser KM (1967) Sarcoidosis with a Landry-Guillain-Barre syndrome and clinical response to corticosteroids. Am J Med 43:131–135
Vighetto A, Fischer G, Collet P, Bady B, Trillet M (1985) Intramedullary sarcoidosis of the cervical spinal cord. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 48:477–479
Wiederholt WC, Siekert RG (1965) Neurological manifestations of sarcoidosis. Neurology 15:1147–1154
Wood EH, Bream CA (1959) Spinal sarcoidosis. Radiology 73:226–233
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zajicek, J. Sarcoidosis of the cauda equina: a report of three cases. J Neurol 237, 424–426 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314734
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314734