Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Intraoperative Ultrasound in Spinal Surgery
Published on: August 17, 2022
[Cervical spinal sarcoidosis mimicking compressive cervical myelopathy: Poor prognosis after surgery]
F Urbain1, C Labeyrie2, A Herbrecht3
1Service de médecine interne et immunologie clinique, groupe hospitalier universitaire Paris Sud, hôpital Bicêtre, Assistance publique-hôpitaux de Paris, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre cedex, France.
Introduction:
Cervical spinal sarcoidosis can mimic compressive cervical myelopathy leading to potentially harmful surgical procedures before the diagnosis can be made.
Methods:
Retrospective description of 3 patients and review of the literature.
Results:
Twenty-seven patients (16 men/11 women), median age 58 years [range 29-74] were described. Neurosurgical procedures consisted of laminectomy (n=10), laminoplasty (n=15) and anterior discectomy (n=2). Immediately after surgery, 17 patients (63%) worsened or remained disabled. Among the 10 patients who improved, 9 worsened secondarily. The analysis of preoperative MRI showed T2 hypersignal lesions and contrast enhancement in all patients. Neurological symptoms were inaugural in 25/27 patients, and systemic involvement of the sarcoidosis was found after surgery in 15/27 patients. After surgery, all patients received corticosteroids, along with immunosuppressive therapy in 8 cases/27. After a follow-up of 24 [16-72] months; 13 patients were stabilized or worsened, 7 were partially improved. Three died of other cause. Only 5 recovered without sequelae.
Conclusion:
In patients with compressive cervical myelopathy, leptomeningeal contrast enhancement, a T2-weighted hypersignal exceeding the compression level on MRI, and the presence of extraneurological symptoms should point to inflammatory disease. These rare manifestations may be the first symptoms of sarcoidosis and should be recognized to avoid harmful surgical procedures and to provide appropriate medical treatment.
