Spinal cord lesions in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis - Magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of spinal cord lesions revealed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in children and adolescents with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the spinal cord magnetic resonance examinations in a group of MS patients consisting of 58 children (37 girls and 21 boys) aged from 7 to 17.8 years (mean 13.7 years). All children met the criteria of clinically definite MS and had typical MS lesions revealed in the brain imaging.

RESULTS: Spinal cord lesions, regardless of localization, were identified in 36 (62%) patients. In 22 of 58 patients (38%) no lesions were observed. The plaques were found in the cervical spinal cord and the thoracic spinal cord in 30 out of 36 (86.1%) and in 31 out of 36 (88.6%) patients, respectively. Contrast enhancement was noticed in 10 out of 36 patients (27.7%) and was not correlated with the number of lesions present. We noticed a tendency to higher EDSS score in patients with lesions in more than 1 spinal cord region. Our study showed that spinal cord lesions are more frequently present in patients with complex neurological disability.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of spinal cord lesions in children and adolescents with MS is high. Therefore, spinal cord MRI should be included in diagnostic program of MS.