Inflammatory disorder involving both halves of spinal cord, resulting in bilateral motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction
Diagnosis of exclusion, since 80% of patients have identifiable disease
IMAGING
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nonvascular Interventions
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chitnis T: Pediatric central nervous system demyelinating diseases. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 25(3):793-814, 2019
Wang C et al: Clinical approach to pediatric transverse myelitis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and acute flaccid myelitis. Children (Basel). 6(5), 2019
Zalewski NL et al: Evaluation of idiopathic transverse myelitis revealing specific myelopathy diagnoses. Neurology. 90(2):e96-102, 2018
Goh C et al: MRI in transverse myelitis. J Magn Reson Imaging. 40(6):1267-79, 2014
Cobo Calvo A et al: Idiopathic acute transverse myelitis: outcome and conversion to multiple sclerosis in a large series. BMC Neurol. 13:135, 2013
Kitley J et al: Longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis with and without aquaporin 4 antibodies. JAMA Neurol. 70(11):1375-81, 2013
West TW et al: Acute transverse myelitis: demyelinating, inflammatory, and infectious myelopathies. Semin Neurol. 32(2):97-113, 2012
Pandit L: Transverse myelitis spectrum disorders. Neurol India. 57(2):126-33, 2009
Scott TF et al: Acute partial transverse myelitis with normal cerebral magnetic resonance imaging: transition rate to clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 11(4):373-7, 2005
Andronikou S et al: MRI findings in acute idiopathic transverse myelopathy in children. Pediatr Radiol. 33(9):624-9, 2003
Banit DM et al: Recurrent transverse myelitis after lumbar spine surgery: a case report. Spine. 28(9):E165-8, 2003
Kim KK: Idiopathic recurrent transverse myelitis. Arch Neurol. 60(9):1290-4, 2003
Kerr DA et al: Immunopathogenesis of acute transverse myelitis. Curr Opin Neurol. 15(3):339-47, 2002
Transverse Myelitis Consortium Working Group: proposed diagnostic criteria and nosology of acute transverse myelitis. Neurology. 59(4):499-505, 2002
Scotti G et al: Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of acute transverse myelopathy. The role of neuroradiological investigations and review of the literature. Neurol Sci. 22 Suppl 2:S69-73, 2001
Misra UK et al: Role of MRI in acute transverse myelitis. Neurol India. 47(4):253-4, 1999
Murthy JM et al: Acute transverse myelitis: MR characteristics. Neurol India. 47(4):290-3, 1999
Isoda H et al: MR imaging of acute transverse myelitis (myelopathy). Radiat Med. 16(3):179-86, 1998
Choi KH et al: Idiopathic transverse myelitis: MR characteristics. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 17(6):1151-60, 1996
Misra UK et al: A clinical, MRI and neurophysiological study of acute transverse myelitis. J Neurol Sci. 138(1-2):150-6, 1996
Campi A et al: Acute transverse myelopathy: spinal and cranial MR study with clinical follow-up. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 16(1):115-23, 1995
Jeffery DR et al: Transverse myelitis. Retrospective analysis of 33 cases, with differentiation of cases associated with multiple sclerosis and parainfectious events. Arch Neurol. 50(5):532-5, 1993
Kelley CE et al: Acute transverse myelitis in the emergency department: a case report and review of the literature. J Emerg Med. 9(6):417-20, 1991
Christensen PB et al: Clinical course and long-term prognosis of acute transverse myelopathy. Acta Neurol Scand. 81(5):431-5, 1990
Dunne K et al: Acute transverse myelopathy in childhood. Dev Med Child Neurol. 28(2):198-204, 1986
Berman M et al: Acute transverse myelitis: incidence and etiologic considerations. Neurology. 31(8):966-71, 1981
Lipton HL et al: Acute transverse myelopathy in adults. A follow-up study. Arch Neurol. 28(4):252-7, 1973
Inflammatory disorder involving both halves of spinal cord, resulting in bilateral motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction
Diagnosis of exclusion, since 80% of patients have identifiable disease
IMAGING
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nonvascular Interventions
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chitnis T: Pediatric central nervous system demyelinating diseases. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 25(3):793-814, 2019
Wang C et al: Clinical approach to pediatric transverse myelitis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and acute flaccid myelitis. Children (Basel). 6(5), 2019
Zalewski NL et al: Evaluation of idiopathic transverse myelitis revealing specific myelopathy diagnoses. Neurology. 90(2):e96-102, 2018
Goh C et al: MRI in transverse myelitis. J Magn Reson Imaging. 40(6):1267-79, 2014
Cobo Calvo A et al: Idiopathic acute transverse myelitis: outcome and conversion to multiple sclerosis in a large series. BMC Neurol. 13:135, 2013
Kitley J et al: Longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis with and without aquaporin 4 antibodies. JAMA Neurol. 70(11):1375-81, 2013
West TW et al: Acute transverse myelitis: demyelinating, inflammatory, and infectious myelopathies. Semin Neurol. 32(2):97-113, 2012
Pandit L: Transverse myelitis spectrum disorders. Neurol India. 57(2):126-33, 2009
Scott TF et al: Acute partial transverse myelitis with normal cerebral magnetic resonance imaging: transition rate to clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 11(4):373-7, 2005
Andronikou S et al: MRI findings in acute idiopathic transverse myelopathy in children. Pediatr Radiol. 33(9):624-9, 2003
Banit DM et al: Recurrent transverse myelitis after lumbar spine surgery: a case report. Spine. 28(9):E165-8, 2003
Kim KK: Idiopathic recurrent transverse myelitis. Arch Neurol. 60(9):1290-4, 2003
Kerr DA et al: Immunopathogenesis of acute transverse myelitis. Curr Opin Neurol. 15(3):339-47, 2002
Transverse Myelitis Consortium Working Group: proposed diagnostic criteria and nosology of acute transverse myelitis. Neurology. 59(4):499-505, 2002
Scotti G et al: Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of acute transverse myelopathy. The role of neuroradiological investigations and review of the literature. Neurol Sci. 22 Suppl 2:S69-73, 2001
Misra UK et al: Role of MRI in acute transverse myelitis. Neurol India. 47(4):253-4, 1999
Murthy JM et al: Acute transverse myelitis: MR characteristics. Neurol India. 47(4):290-3, 1999
Isoda H et al: MR imaging of acute transverse myelitis (myelopathy). Radiat Med. 16(3):179-86, 1998
Choi KH et al: Idiopathic transverse myelitis: MR characteristics. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 17(6):1151-60, 1996
Misra UK et al: A clinical, MRI and neurophysiological study of acute transverse myelitis. J Neurol Sci. 138(1-2):150-6, 1996
Campi A et al: Acute transverse myelopathy: spinal and cranial MR study with clinical follow-up. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 16(1):115-23, 1995
Jeffery DR et al: Transverse myelitis. Retrospective analysis of 33 cases, with differentiation of cases associated with multiple sclerosis and parainfectious events. Arch Neurol. 50(5):532-5, 1993
Kelley CE et al: Acute transverse myelitis in the emergency department: a case report and review of the literature. J Emerg Med. 9(6):417-20, 1991
Christensen PB et al: Clinical course and long-term prognosis of acute transverse myelopathy. Acta Neurol Scand. 81(5):431-5, 1990
Dunne K et al: Acute transverse myelopathy in childhood. Dev Med Child Neurol. 28(2):198-204, 1986
Berman M et al: Acute transverse myelitis: incidence and etiologic considerations. Neurology. 31(8):966-71, 1981
Lipton HL et al: Acute transverse myelopathy in adults. A follow-up study. Arch Neurol. 28(4):252-7, 1973