Engorged and tortuous intradural filum terminale vein as a sign of a sacral dural arteriovenous malformation

Abstract 

Sacral spinal dural arteriovenous (AV) malformation is rare and its clinical features are not specific to differentiate sacral dural AV malformation from the superiorly located ones. A sacral dural AV malformation, therefore, is usually diagnosed after negative thoracic and lumbar arteriograms. In this report, we propose a myelographic or magnetic resonance (MR) sign of engorged and tortuous intradural filum terminale vein as an indication of a sacral dural AV malformation. When this sign is seen, pelvic arteriography should be performed first.

Keywords:  Myelography, Magnetic resonance imaging, Spine, abnormalities, Malformation, arteriovenous, Vein, filum terminale