Hirayama Disease in a Young Male: A Case Report

Abstract

Hirayama disease is a rare benign neurological disease that affects the anterior horn of the spinal cord at C5 to T1, mainly at C7 and C8 due to imbalance growth between the vertebral column and the dura mater leading to microcirculatory disturbances in the anterior portion of the spinal cord due to overstretched cord, especially during flexion of the neck causing unilateral or rarely asymmetrically bilateral upper limb weakness and muscle wasting. It is a case of a 21-year-old boy presented with weaknesses in his left hand and forearm for 2 years which aggravates during cold weather and flexion of the neck. A plain x-ray of the neck and MRI of the cervical spine were conducted which show the features of Hirayama disease.

Keywords

• amyotrophy
• juvenile spinal muscular atrophy
• magnetic resonance imaging
• monomelic