Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine: technical and clinical observations

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.141.6.1129· OSTI ID:5027672

Modic, M T; Weinstein, M A; Pavlicek, W; Boumphrey, F; Starnes, D; Duchesneau, P M

Seventy-two patients were examined to determine the clinical potential for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine. MRI using different pulse sequences was compared with plain radiography, high-resolution computed tomography, and myelography. There were 35 normal patients; pathologic conditions studied included canal stenosis, herniated disk, metastatic tumor, neurofibroma, trauma, Chiari malformation, syringomyelia, arteriovenous malformation, and rheumatoid arthritis. MRI provided sharply defined anatomic delineation and tissue characterization. It was diagnostic in syringomyelia and Chiari malformation and was useful in the evaluation of trauma and spinal canal block from any cause. MRI was sensitive to degenerative disk disease and infection. The spin-echo technique, with three pulse sequence variations, seems very promising. A short echo time (TE) produces the best signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution. Lengthening the TE enhances differentiation of various tissues by their signal intensity, whil the combined increase of TE and recovery time (TR) produces selective enhancement of the cerebrospinal fluid signal intensity.

• Research Organization: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH
• OSTI ID: 5027672
• Journal Information: AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States), Journal Name: AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States) Vol. 141:6; ISSN AAJRD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550602* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
550900 -- Pathology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ANATOMY
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
INJURIES
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
MALFORMATIONS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PATHOLOGY
PATIENTS
RADIOLOGY
RESOLUTION
RESONANCE
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO
SKELETON
SPATIAL RESOLUTION
SPIN ECHO
TOMOGRAPHY
VERTEBRAE