There may also be a reaction to studies using other iodized contrast agents. Precautions can be taken by the physician if you must have these tests. If you have had a reaction from previous studies, it is imperative that you tell your doctor. The doctor may want to know if you have retained iodized dye in your back, especially if you have had a reaction to iodized foods and products. Anti-histamines may help to protect you, but a qualified doctor will know more about preventing reactions. Sometimes other methods of diagnosis are used when the practitioner is aware that there is a problem with iodized dyes.

In animal studies, urine contained elevated levels of iodine. (15).

Allergy to shellfish and iodized products is a fairly new finding. Until research is performed, we will not know the true number of people with this problem.

*Thyroid function tests—If your doctor suspects a thyroid problem, it may be necessary to treat your symptoms. The Package insert out of PantopaqueÒ (iophendylate) states, “Diagnostic test of thyroid function involving measurements of iodine may be invalidated for several years following the intrathecal injection of Pantopaque.”

Syringomyelia—How syringomyelia occurs and its treatment methods are still controversial. Researchers are trying to find answers to those questions so the proper treatment can be administered.

There are two schools of thought on why syringomyelia occurs in people with arachnoiditis. In the first, it is thought that the scarring of the arachnoid membranes causes changes in the vascular supply, producing areas of cord ischemia and subsequent softening with cavity formation. In the second, meningeal scarring may alter CSF flow with consequent increase in pressure within the central canal and expansion of this structure. Symptoms may include one or more of the following: motor weakness, numbness, sensory deficits, clumsiness, spasticity, muscle atrophy, and / or paralysis. The symptoms of syringomyelia may be delayed as long as 13 to 17 years. Surgical intervention may be needed to decompress an enlarged syrinx. Subarachnoid shunting is another method of drainage. In some instances, failure may cause further neurological deterioration due to shunt blockage or further ischemia (reduced blood supply) or gliosis (growth of neuroglial tissue). (2)

A syrinx can be either “low-pressure” or “high pressure.” Reports indicate that a high-pressure syrinx has better postsurgical results ( 1)

Basal arachnoiditis—Basal arachnoiditis is the result of scarring of the basal meninges with subsequent syrinx formation. (3). In one reported case, (18) a man had weakness and wasting of the right side of his tongue and had pain in the back of his head. He had progressive stiffness of the lower left extremity with difficulty in walking. These symptoms evolved over the next few years. There was no headache, dizziness or vomiting.

When the doctor first saw the man in 1987, general examination was unremarkable. Neurologic examination showed normal cognitive functions. His gaze was mildly impaired in the right eye. Tests, including blood work-up, were performed. Plain x-rays of the spine showed only a few droplets of iophendylate in the thoracic region. Cranial computed tomography showed multiple droplets of iophendylate in the subarachnoid space of the brain. His neurological signs were confined to the posterior fossa. Further [Continued on Next Page]

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