A systematic review of the presentation of scan-negative suspected cauda equina syndrome.

Surgeon

Spine Service, Department of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; National Spinal Injuries Unit, Department of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

Published: February 2020

Background: A significant proportion of patients presenting with suspected cauda equina syndrome (CES) do not have associated radiological evidence to support the diagnosis, often termed 'scan-negative'. Due to the limited number of studies regarding the matter, there is no clear understanding for this presentation. As a result, no treatment protocol exists for the scan-negative group. The purpose of this review is to assess the potential contributing factors leading to the presentation of suspected CES with normal imaging.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted on PubMed and Cochrane databases. Bibliographies of key articles and Google Scholar were searched for additional results. The search strategy provided 204 results. Of those, 8 had no identifiable causation for suspected CES and were included for systematic review.

Results: 6 of 8 studies investigated for a difference in clinical presentation between cohorts that may indicate a normal scan. Studies were either inconclusive and contradictory. Two studies suggest a functional somatic disorder as reasoning for negative MRI, with positive provisional findings.

Conclusion: A psychogenic hypothesis is plausible and warrants further investigation. The need for additional studies is essential to scheming a potential treatment protocol for the scan-negative population, which currently does not exist.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2019.04.003DOI Listing

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