Syphilitic myelitis with its magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) verification and successful treatment.

A 31-year-old man with a 10-day duration of a progressive paraparesis and sensory disturbance was found to have a syphilitic infection which was confirmed by the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) syphilitic reaction. A discrete and wedge-shaped Gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was identified at the level of Th 3/4. The neurologic states and MRI findings improved noticeably after a 16-day course of penicillin with a high dose of prednisolone. Therefore, we want to emphasize the importance and usefulness of MRI in syphilitic myelitis.