Can you tell me whether or not the syrinx is dangerous? I've been doing some research on the internet and it looks like it's a very bad thing to have, and that progression is inevitable, and it can be fatal. I have gotten worse (leg weakness, neck pain), and I'm scared. I am seeing a neurologist next week, but in the meantime my mind is going crazy.
I also have severe myelomalacia from C3-7 or T1, and I've gotten conflicting reports from the radiologist and neurosurgeons. Radiologists say I have myelomalcia, not a syrinx, the neurosurgeon says it is a syrinx. If it is myelomalacia, is that going to progress too? I appreciate any advice you can offer.
Hemosiderin is a normal breakdown product of blood. As you had an AVM in the cervical spine, the hemosiderin is just chronic evidence that there was blood there at one time. Not dangerous.
The syrinx is a dilation of the central canal in your spinal cord. We all have somewhat of a central canal in the middle of our cord. Yours is reported to be dilated which doesn't always mean something is wrong. If you have loss of pain and temperature sensation in a cape-like distribution over your arms, shoulder and back then you do need to see someone about it. Otherwise, it's asymptomatic. The leg weakness could certainly be due to arachnoiditis,a condition that has been reported with myelograms thought to be due to the dye causing changes in the spinal fluid or prior back surgeries. You definitely need to talk to your surgeon and go over the films with them. Best of luck.