What is the dorsal thecal sac?

What is the dorsal thecal sac?

Anatomical terminology. The thecal sac or dural sac is the membranous sheath (theca) or tube of dura mater that surrounds the spinal cord and the cauda equina. The thecal sac contains the cerebrospinal fluid which provides nutrients and buoyancy to the spinal cord.

Where is the thecal sac located?

Thecal sac is the outer covering of the spinal cord. This means there are bone spurs on the back of the spinal bones, putting pressure on or affecting the front part of the outer layer of the (neck) cervical spinal cord.

What is a thecal sac compression?

Thecal Sac Compression – The spinal cord and nerves are also protected by a membrane filled with cerebral spinal fluid known as the thecal sac or dural sac. Flattening or compression of the thecal sac will occur in other conditions that cause pressure or pinching of the spinal cord, such as stenosis.

Is the ventral thecal sac part of the spinal cord?

The ventral thecal sac refers to the ventral, or front side of the thecal sac, which is a membrane that surrounds the spinal cord and some cerebrospinal fluid. A diagnosis of spinal injury and disease takes the appearance of the thecal sac into consideration.

What’s the difference between ventral and dorsal thecal sac effacement?

Effacement: means thinning. Ventral means the front of the spinal cord. The thecal sac is the encasement of the spinal cord. Ventral thecal sac effacement is thin …

What is the thecal sac and what does it do?

The thecal sac has a fluid in it and is a protective membrane which is covering the spinal cord and neurological structures within the body. It is basically the insulation for your nerve tissues and holds the spinal fluid as well.

How is the size of the thecal sac related to back pain?

Compression of nerve roots resulting in back pain can often be detected by looking at the thecal sac. The size of the thecal sac can help in determining the amount of cerebrospinal fluid. If there is not enough fluid inside, then the spinal cord is not properly protected by the thecal sac and is pinched.

What are symptoms of thecal sac compression?

Compression of the thecal sac does not cause any symptoms. Compression of the nerves or spinal cord inside the thecal sac can cause pain / numbness / tingling / weakness. It is usually diagnosed by radiology studies, MRI being the most common.

What causes compression of the thecal sac?

Cysts can also cause compression of the thecal sac. A synovial cyst occurs when the joint in your lower spine degenerate. This cyst is filled with fluids and is more prevalent in older people. Synovial cyst can exert pressure inside your spinal canal as well as compress the thecal sac 5.

What does ventral to the spinal cord means?

Originally Posted by neckpatient. Each of our spinal nerves has two roots the ventral (front) root carries motor impulses from the brain and the dorsal (back) root carries sensory impulses to the brain. The ventral and dorsal roots fuse together to form a spinal nerve , and it travels down the spinal canal alongside the cord, until it reaches its exit hole called the foramen at the various spinal levels that goes on to our body parts.

What is a ventral surface of spinal cord?

Ventral Cord. The ventral cord is your spinal cord and ventral describes where. The spinal cord extends down from the brain stem. The cord is enclosed by membranes (meniges) and surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The cord itself is made up of tracts of nerve fibers called white matter,…