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Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2014; 20(10): 2578-2585
Published online Mar 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2578
Table 1 Differential diagnosis
Brain pathology
Demyelinating processes
Hydrocephalus
Parasagittal space-occupying lesion
Arnold-Chiari malformation
Other structural abnormalities at craniocervical junction
Spinal cord pathology
Compressive myelopathy: spondylogenic cervical > thoracical myelopathy
Vascular myelopathy: spinal cord infarction, bleeding, vasculitis
Spinal cord injuries
Genetic disorders: Hereditary spastic paraparesis, adrenoleukodystrophy (spinal forms), Freidrich's ataxia
Metabolic/Nutritional: Subacute combined sclerosis (vitamin B12 deficiency), vitamin E deficiency, copper deficiency, latyrism
Toxic myelopathy: Chemotherapy, Radiation
Neoplasms: Extramedullary or intramedullary tumors, metastatic lesions, lymphoma, paraneoplastic syndome
Myelitis: Viral infections (Virus varicella Zoster, Epstein Barr Virus, Herpes simplex virus, Citomegalovirus, myelopathy associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), Human T-Lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/Tropical spastic paraparesis); Fungal infections (Criptococcus, Apergillus); Sprirochetal infections (Lyme disease, Syphilis)