Myelitis and Myelopathies

The term “myelopathy” is usually used to indicate spinal cord involvement caused by some pathological conditions. Myelitis is the medical term used to def ne spinal cord involvement only by an inflammatory or infectious disorder. Spinal cord disorders may have a different course, and it can occur as a single event or a recurrent disease.
Clinical presentation can vary, depending on specific tract and localization involved, as well as their extension. In particular, on axial plane, lesions may be prevalent in grey matter (segmentary syndrome, both ventral and dorsal), white matter (anterolateral or posterior columns), orboth (segmentary syndrome with columns involvement), resulting in a complete or no transection. We define Brown-Sequard syndrome as the clinical syndrome resulting from an injury to one lateral side of spinal cord, complete or partial. Moreover, we classify spinal syndrome on the basis of longitudinal extension in mono or poli metameric, according to numbers of metamers involved. An accurate clinical examination associated with a correct neuroimaging pathway is mandatory to lead a correct and early etiological diagnosis.
Myelopathy can be classified into compressive or not compressive, depending on subarachnoid space obstruction.