Presentation
Chronic neck pain
Patient Data













Severe cervical degenerative changes that cause obliteration of the subarachnoid space greater than 50% at the C2-C4 levels without deformity of the spinal cord.
There are foci of increased T2 signal bilaterally in the central grey matter at the level of the C3-C4 disc (snake eye sign, also known as owl-eyes sign) suggestive of compressive myelopathy.
Case Discussion
This case illustrates the typical appearance of the cervical cord owl-eyes sign also known as snake-eyes sign secondary to chronic compressive myelopathy with kyphotic deformity.
It's believed to represent a wide range of pathological changes resulting from spinal cord compression, from reversible edema and inflammation to irreversible ischemia and cystic necrosis.
Case courtesy of Dra. Ana Cecilia Sánchez González.