Hydromyelia: evolution of ideas and diagnostic criteria

Abstract

The article presents a review of literature devoted to a variant of cavity formation in spinal cord — hydromyelia. The authors review the history of studying the issue referring to the central canal expansion and list the main theories of hydromyelic cavities formation based on anatomical ideas about the central canal structure and functioning. The review describes the criteria of hydromyelic cavities diagnosis, clinical and MR-tomographic course of hydromyelia. In addition, cases of hydromyelia combination with other pathological conditions are presented.