[Reversible MRI findings of posterior column of the spinal cord in a patient with acute autonomic and sensory neuropathy].

We report serial spinal MRI T2 findings in a patient with acute autonomic and sensory neuropathy (AASN). A 20-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with progressive sensory disturbance in her extremities and orthostatic syncope after her symptoms of upper respiratory infection. Neurological examination demonstrated reduced tendon reflexes, hypalgesia, paresthesia, reduced position sensation in distal dominant extremities (predominant in lower legs) and wide variety of autonomic dysfunction (severe orthostatic hypotension, anhidrosis, urinary disturbance, coughing attack, constipation and appetite loss). She was diagnosed as having AASN. Although high dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy successfully prevented the symptom progression, her sensory disturbance and autonomic dysfunction were prolonged and showed only slow improvement. Spinal MRI on acute phase was normal. On chronic phase (11 month after the onset), spinal MRI T2 weighted images demonstrated high intensity lesion in the posterior column successive from upper cervical to lower thoracic spinal cord. Those abnormal findings were attenuated in concordance with her symptom improvement and finally disappeared when she became to walk stably without assist.