Cervical spondylotic radiculo-myelopathyの筋電図—とくにhigh amplitude NMU voltageの意義について

ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC STUDY OF CERVICAL SPONDYLOTIC RADICULO-MYELOPATHY (C. S. R. M.) WITH SPECIAL:REFERENCE TO THE EVALUATION OF HIGH AMPLITUDE NMU VOLTAGE

I．はじめに

　中年以降において，頸部変形性脊椎症にもとづく神経根または脊髄の障害，あるいは両者の合併により，徐々に神経症状を呈するに至つたものを総称して，この論文ではcervical spondylotic radiculo-myelopathy （以下CSRMと略）と呼んだ。

　CSRMが重要視されるようになつたのは，約20〜30年前，主としてBrainやSpillaneらの学者の研究によるものであつて，わが国では昭和30年頃から次第に注目されるようになつて来たという^2）。

Electromyographic studies were carried out in26 patients with cervical spondylotic radiculo-myelopathy who were diagnosed clinically and thefollowing results were obtained.

In the upper extremities some signs of the electro-myographic neurogenic disturbances were observedin all cases and among these observations highamplitude NMU voltages were found in 83.1%of the patients.

About each case the level of cervical spinal cordinnervating the muscles which revealed the highamplitude NMU voltage was compared with thatof cervical spine showing roentgenographic evidenceof spondylosis. Both levels corresponded in 66.6%of the patients, but in most of the remains thehigh amplitude NMU voltages were observed inthe muscles which were innervated by the spinalsegments caudad to the cervical spine showing theroentgenographic abnormalities. The possible patho-geneses in these cases were discussed.

In the lower extremities the high amplitudeNMU voltages were observed in 20.8% of thepatients. From these observations lumbar spon-dylosis was also suggested in some cases of thepatients with cervical spondylotic radiculo-myelo-pathy.