| Clinical features | Potential diagnosis |
| Acute paraparesis with sensory level and/or autonomic involvement | Acute myelopathy |
| History of thrombosis | Arterial or venous ischemic infarct |
| Male, >40 years old with stuttering or downhill myelopathy over months | Venous hypertension, dural arteriovenous fistula |
| Known tuberculosis | Vertebral compression fracture or central nervous system tuberculosis |
| History of or concurrent optic neuritis | Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) |
| History of or concurrent systemic rheumatologic disorder | Transverse myelitis associated with rheumatologic disorder |
| Prior history of demyelination and mild, mainly sensory symptoms | Transverse myelitis associated with multiple sclerosis |
| Antecedent trauma (eg, hyperextension) | Consider congenital or acquired spinal column stenosis and compression |
