抄録
1. The clinical, roentgenographic and pathological investigations were carried out in a series of twelve cases of the spinal metastasis involving the spinal cord confirmed by myelography and/or planned autopsy. 2. The clinical course prior to and the mode of onset of the spinal cord symptoms Were varied and summarized as follows: (1) In two out of 4 cases of breast carcinoma, the clinical course was slow in progress. (2) Three cases of lung carcinoma were rapid in clinical course and fairly acute in onset of spinal cord involvement. (3) In one of 3 cases of sarcoma, the onset of spinal cord symptoms was abrupt without noticeable prodromal signs and symptoms, and the complete transection of the spinal cord developed almost instantaneously. 3. Spinal cord symptoms at the final stage were as follows: (1) Eight out of 12 cases presented complete motor paralysis and sensory disturbance. In seven out of the above 8 cases, dysfunction of urinary bladder was noticed. (2) Four cases with paresis developed no disturbance of urination, and no sensory deficit was observed in three out of the above 4 cases. 4. The longest survival period after the onset of cord symptoms was 6 months in the present series. 5. On the plain x rays of the spine, the bony destruction was disclosed in eight out of 12 cases. 6. Myelographic examination was carried out in 8 cases and revealed abnormality of the dye column in 6 patients. In one of the 6 patients, the plain x-rays of the spine disclosed no bony destruction. 7. Autopsy was carried out in 9 cases and revealed various types of the spinal metastasis. Though the marrow spaces of the involved vertebrae were filled by tumor cells in two cases of sarcoma, no discernible evidence of destruction in the bony architecture could be elicited not only on the plain x-rays of spine during life but also on the roentgenograms of the specimen of spine obtained at autopsy. In one case of breast Carcinoma, intramedullary metastasis was verified.
