Editing Syringomyelia (section)

== Research ==
[[File:Cervical MRI 120744 rgbca.png|thumb]]
The precise causes of syringomyelia are still unknown, although blockage of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid has been known to be an important factor since the 1970s. Scientists in the UK and US continue to explore the mechanisms that lead to the formation of syrinxes in the spinal cord. It has been demonstrated that a block of the free flow of cerebrospinal fluid is a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of the disease. Duke University in America and Warwick University are conducting research to explore genetic features of syringomyelia.<ref>{{ClinicalTrialsGov|NCT01060800|The Genetics of Chiari Type I Malformation}}</ref>

Surgical techniques are also being refined by the neurosurgical research community. Successful procedures expand the area around the cerebellum and spinal cord, improving the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and thereby reducing the syrinx.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Vandertop |first1=W. |title=Syringomyelia |journal=Neuropediatrics |date=22 November 2013 |volume=45 |issue=1 |pages=003–009 |doi=10.1055/s-0033-1361921 |pmid=24272770 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

It is also important to understand the role of birth defects in the development of hindbrain malformations that can lead to syringomyelia, as syringomyelia is a feature of intrauterine life and is also associated with spina bifida. Learning when these defects occur during the development of the fetus can help with the understanding of this and similar disorders, and may lead to preventive treatment that can stop the formation of some birth abnormalities.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Bale |editor1-first=Judith R. |editor2-last=Stoll |editor2-first=Barbara J. |editor3-last=Lucas |editor3-first=Adetokunbo O. |title=Reducing Birth Defects: Meeting the Challenge in the Developing World |date=2003 |publisher=National Academies Press |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222083/ |chapter=Interventions to Reduce the Impact of Birth Defects }}</ref>

Diagnostic technology is another area for continued research. MRI has enabled scientists to see the situation within the spine, including syringomyelia, before any symptoms appear. A new technology, known as dynamic MRI, allows investigators to view spinal fluid flow within the syrinx. CT scans allow physicians to see abnormalities in the brain, and other diagnostic tests have also improved greatly with the availability of new, non-toxic, contrast dyes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=Gwendolyn |last2=Thyagaraj |first2=Suraj |last3=Fu |first3=Audrey |last4=Oshinski |first4=John |last5=Giese |first5=Daniel |last6=Bunck |first6=Alexander C. |last7=Fornari |first7=Eleonora |last8=Santini |first8=Francesco |last9=Luciano |first9=Mark |last10=Loth |first10=Francis |last11=Martin |first11=Bryn A. |title=In vitro evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid velocity measurement in type I Chiari malformation: repeatability, reproducibility, and agreement using 2D phase contrast and 4D flow MRI |journal=Fluids and Barriers of the CNS |date=December 2021 |volume=18 |issue=1 |page=12 |doi=10.1186/s12987-021-00246-3 |pmc=7977612 |pmid=33736664 |doi-access=free }}</ref>