Syphilitic myelopathy

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Superficial anterior muscles

Tabes dorsalis

• Muscle weakness
• Loss of coordination
• Difficulty walking
• Wide-based gait (the person walks with the legs far apart)
• Abnormal sensations, often called "lightning pains"
• Loss of reflexes

Physical examination may suggest myelopathy. Decreased or absent reflexes may be present due to nerve damage.

Tests may include the following:

• Head CT , spine CT , or MRI scans of the brain and spinal cord to rule out other diseases
• Serum VDRL , RPR , or FTA to detect syphilis infection
• CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) examination
  • abnormal results indicating chronic meningitis
  • a positive neurosyphilis test (CSF VDRL test)

Review Date: 08/08/2006
Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.