Brachial Plexus Radiculopathy and Computed Tomography

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To the editor: Computed tomography of the body is used frequently to diagnose lumbosacral disorders (1, 2). Compared to myelography, computed tomography has few adverse effects (3). We report the case of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis and the cauda equina syndrome (3, 4) who developed a severe brachial plexus palsy after a computed tomographic scan.

A 65-year-old man developed low back pain at age 18. At age 32, ankylosing spondylitis was diagnosed and radiotherapy administered. By age 39 his spinal movement was very restricted. At age 58 he had weakness and numbness of the left leg. There were no