[A case of spinal cord sarcoidosis with interesting MRI findings]

A case of spinal cord sarcoidosis was reported with special reference to MRI findings. A 15-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of gait disturbance for last six months. Neurological examination on admission showed spastic paraparesis and posterior column signs. MRI of the cervical spinal cord revealed diffuse swelling and low intensity signal in T1-weighted sequences, diffuse high intensity signal in T2-weighted, and multiple micro-nodular lesion in Gd-DTPA enhanced T1-weighted. At first multiple sclerosis was suspected, although the data of cerebrospinal fluid was not suggestive. Four weeks after admission general fatigue, fever, cough, and headache appeared and the neurological symptoms got worse. Chest film and CT revealed diffuse small nodular shadows in the lung field. Abdominal ultrasonography and CT showed hepatosplenomegaly. The general condition became worse in spite of antibiotic and antituberculotic drug therapy, but remitted spontaneously in four weeks. MRI findings also exacerbated and improved during the same period, being compatible with neurological manifestations. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made by transbronchial lung biopsy which revealed sarcoid granuloma. Multiple small nodules on Gd-DTPA enhanced T1-weighted MRI had not been reported in patient with spinal cord sarcoidosis.