A case of spinal cord infarction caused by polycythemia vera

• Published in: Spinal cord Vol. 53 Suppl 1; no. S1; pp. S19 - S21
• Main Authors: Lee, J, Lim, Y-M, Kim, K-K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.03.2015
• Subjects: Aged; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Female; Humans; Infarction - etiology; Infarction - pathology; Polycythemia Vera - complications; Spinal Cord - pathology; Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 1362-4393; 1476-5624
• DOI: 10.1038/sc.2014.222

This is a case report. The objective of this study was to report on a 66-year-old woman with a confirmed diagnosis of polycythemia vera who presented with acute spinal cord infarction. A 66-year-old woman was previously diagnosed with polycythemia vera and presented with acute paraparesis and urinary retention. The patient's platelet count was 847,000 platelets per μl. T2- and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed hyperintensity at the T12-L1 spinal cord. Computed tomography of the abdominal aorta further revealed multiple thrombi filling the aortic lumen. Polycythemia vera creates a high risk of systemic thrombosis due to hyperviscosity and platelet activation. Although acute infarction in the spinal cord is a rare complication of this myeloproliferative disease, it should be considered in all affected patients.