Myelopathy simulating spinal cord tumor.

Three cases of demyelinating or necrotizing myelopathy are presented in which gradual onset of symptoms, slowly progressive course and widened cord shadow on myelography led to the erroneous diagnosis of intramedullary spinal cord neoplasm. Two of the cases also had inconclusive surgical explorations. We would suggest that patients who seem to have even a typical clinical and myelographic picutre of an intrinsic cord neoplasm have a period of further observation before radiotherapy is begun and that a vigorous search be made for evidence of disseminated disease.