[Metastatic spinal cord compression: diagnosis and treatment]

Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression is a common complication of cancer that can cause pain and potentiaLly irreversible loss of neurologic function. In most cases this syndrome is caused by compression of the thecal sac and the spinal cord by extradural metastatic mass. The most important steps in minimizing the potential neurologic sequelae are early diagnosis and rapid therapeutic intervention. MRI is generally the preferred imaging modality because of its noninvasive ability to study the entire thecal sac. Surgery and radiotherapy are the primary approaches to treat tumor compressing the spinal cord.