[Primary and secondary tethered cord syndromes. Their nuclear magnetic tomographic diagnosis and comparison with the surgical findings in 40 patients].

The MRT findings in 40 patients with the tethered cord syndrome (TCS) have been compared with the operative findings. In cases of primary TCS (17 patients), MRT showed a low conus medullaris in 15 cases and this was confirmed surgically in 14. Other abnormal findings were lipomas (MRT 12/operatively 13), diastematomyelia (MRT 2/operatively 2) and thickened filum terminale (MRT 6/operatively 3). In secondary TCS (23 patients) postoperatively adhesions were prominent (MRT 16/operatively 23) while low position of the conus was found by MRT in 19 and surgically in 18 patients. Other findings were lipomas (MRT 5/operatively 6), epidermoids (MRT 2/operatively 2) and diastematomyelia (MRT 2/operatively 0). Agreement between MRT and operative findings regarding fixation of the spinal cord is closer in primary TCS (15/17, 88%) than in secondary TCS (16/23, 69%).