Aortic pathology revealed by MRI in patients with clinical suspicion of spinal disease.

In five patients with clinical suspicion of spinal disease, MRI of the spine revealed unexpected aortic pathology explaining the symptoms. No significant intraspinal pathology was found on MRI. However, in one patient with clinical suspicion of spinal stenosis, an aortic occlusion was detected on MR images of the spine. The lower extremity ischaemia, caused by the occlusion, was responsible for the symptoms. In another patient a paravertebral haematoma from a ruptured aortic aneurysm resulted in spinal nerve compression, thought before MRI to be caused by a spinal tumour. In three patients aortic aneurysm or dissection resulted in spinal cord ischaemia with symptoms mimicking those of compressive spinal disease. Thus, if MRI of the spine does not provide an explanation for the patient's symptoms, examination of the aorta is recommended.