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Syringomyelia

Dr Roberto Schubert and Dr Jeremy Jones et al.

In syringomyelia a cystic collection occurs within the spinal cord around the central canal.

The term can refer to any cavity within the substance of the spinal cord which may or may not communicate with the central canal (cavity wall is not lined by ependyma).

It is distinct from hydromyelia in which there is simply dilatation of the central canal.

In syringomyelia there is dissection of the ependymal lining of the central canal and CSF collection within the cord itself : therefore, the collection does not have an ependymal lining.

It is very difficult to distinguish hydromyelia from syringomyelia and hence, the collective terms hydrosyringomyelia or simply "syrinx" are sometimes used to refer to a fluid collection within the cord.