Cervical longitudinally extensive myelitis after vaccination with inactivated virus-based COVID-19 vaccine

Radiol Case Rep. 2022 Feb;17(2):303-305. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2021.10.053. Epub 2021 Nov 25.

Abstract

Myelitis, including longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LTEM), is reported in more than forty patients after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Among COVID-19 vaccines, only Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (AZD1222) has been associated with few cases of myelitis (1 LTEM). We report the first case of myelitis/LTEM after BBIBP-CorV/Sinopharm vaccine, interestingly presented as a hemicord syndrome. A 71-year-old male presented with left-side diplegia, right-side hemihyposthesis with facial sparing and impaired position sensation in left foot after vaccination with BBIBP-CorV. MRI revealed a longitudinal signal in left cervical hemicord. This is the first reported myelitis and LTEM with COVID-19 vaccines other than AZD1222.

Keywords: COVID-19; LTEM; Myelitis; Parainfectious; Vaccination.

Publication types

  • Case Reports