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January 13, 2021

Incidental bone marrow lesions on MRI of the spine

Incidental findings are those that were previously unknown to the patient and are unintentionally identified while investigating unrelated clinical complaints. They are usually benign and frequently encountered in routine radiological practice, especially on MRI of the spine. Familiarity with the most common ‘incidentalomas’ will result in confident diagnosis and guide adequate management of these entities. […]

Dr Simranjeet Kaur, Dr Sinan Al-Qassab, Dr Victor Cassar-Pullicino

Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

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October 16, 2019

SPECT/CT in lower back pain

SPECT/CT can be performed to help evaluate potential causes of lower back pain. It can be used as a problem-solver where other imaging techniques have not provided a diagnosis, or to answer a specific question such as localisation of a site of primary pain generation. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has a better contrast […]

Dr James Howard

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

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January 18, 2019

Imaging of spinal tumours

Spinal tumours carry significant morbidity. They typically present with pain or sensory/motor dysfunction – symptoms that carry a wide differential including neoplastic, inflammatory, degenerative, traumatic, infective and vascular processes. Imaging plays a vital role in the diagnostic pathway, with MRI usually being the most appropriate modality to fully assess the spine. When establishing a differential […]

Dr Joanna Perthen, Dr Priya Bhatnagar

Royal Victoria Infirmary

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July 20, 2018

Digital radiography vs low dose 3D imaging technology: A comparison of radiation doses/image quality

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), Stanmore, is the largest orthopaedic hospital in the UK. As a centre of excellence, many of its patients undergo numerous whole spine x-rays for spinal deformity monitoring and surgical intervention. Many adolescent scoliosis patients require whole spine x-rays on a regular basis. Until recently, we have only been able […]

Antony Turner, Jane Edwards, Edmond Kinene

Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

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May 18, 2018

MRI of the acute spine

There are many conditions that can present with rapid onset of signs and symptoms suggestive of acute injury of the spine. A large proportion of these patients present following traumatic injury to the spine and this will therefore be the main focus of this article. More insidious processes can also present with spinal cord compressive […]

Dr Laura Pendower, Dr David Doig, Sophia Hill, Dr Asif Mazumder

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals

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March 16, 2018

Imaging of spine trauma

The majority of spinal cord injuries are the result of preventable causes such as road traffic accidents, falls or violent acts. Trauma to the spinal column and spinal cord can lead to potentially devastating injuries and long-term or permanent disability. Prompt and appropriate imaging is therefore vital for the diagnosis, assessment and management of spine […]

Dr Matthew Jaring, Dr Roland Watura

Southmead Hospital

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June 19, 2017

Imaging of spinal fusion

Surgical spinal fusion is a procedure where two or more of the vertebrae of the spine are “fused” together in an attempt to achieve solid arthrodesis and to potentially eliminate painful movement or to correct deformity. The purpose of the spinal hardware is to provide additional spinal stability while helping the fusion set up. The […]

Dr Luigi Pedone, Dr Ian Pressney

Fundation Policlinico Agostino Gemelli, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

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December 16, 2016

Cervical spine trauma

Cervical spine injury is the second most common injury to the spine, comprising 28.6% of spinal injuries and 55% of spinal cord injuries. C2 is the most common fractured vertebra, accounting for 24% of injuries. However, despite measures to detect spinal injuries, delayed diagnosis or suboptimal treatment remain common, with 3-25% of patients developing neurological […]

Richard Pullicino, Mark Radon

The Walton Centre

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