Thoracic ventral dural defect: Idiopathic spinal cord herniation.

Thoracic ventral dural defect, and resultant idiopathic spinal cord herniation, is a rare but increasingly recognized cause of a chronic progressive thoracic myelopathy, particularly in middle-aged women. A neurosurgically confirmed case is presented, together with a review of the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, imaging features, treatment options and progress of this entity post-treatment. © 2006 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.