More articles from Spine Imaging and Spine Image-Guided Interventions
- An Optimized CT Protocol for Detecting Suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome: A Comparative Analysis with MRI
This study prospectively evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of an optimized CT lumbar spine protocol as a potential alternative to MRI in assessing suspected neural compression. CT accurately identified all cases requiring urgent decompression. CT had 97% sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values in detecting disc pathology in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute neural compression compared with MRI.
- MR Imaging Features of Critical Spinal Demyelinating Lesions Associated with Progressive Motor Impairment
This retrospective, observational MRI study compared spinal cord critical demyelinating lesions anatomically associated with progressive motor impairment with any additional “noncritical” spinal cord demyelinating lesions. MRI characteristics that favored critical spinal cord demyelinating lesions included moderate-to-severe, focal, lesion-associated spinal cord atrophy; lateral column axial location; central region; ventral column; and larger lesion size. In particular, the presence of focal, lesion-associated atrophy, lateral column axial location, and larger lesion size may be associated with the development of progressive motor impairment in MS.