Articles
Articles are a collaborative effort to provide a single canonical page on all topics relevant to the practice of radiology. As such, articles are written and continuously improved upon by countless contributing members. Our dedicated editors oversee each edit for accuracy and style. Find out more about articles.
742 results found
Article
Congenital scoliosis
Congenital scoliosis refers to scoliosis resulting from a congenital abnormality of the vertebra, e.g. a segmentation or fusion defect.
Terminology
There are several definitions of congenital scoliosis. Some authors include neurological congenital causes. In this article, our focus will only ...
Article
Vertebral body endplate
Vertebral body endplates are anatomically discrete structures that form the interface between the vertebral bodies and the adjacent intervertebral discs. They are constituted centrally by a cartilaginous layer and peripherally by a bone ring apophysis. The cartilaginous layer is related to the n...
Article
Erector spinae muscles (mnemonic)
There are multiple handy mnemonics to recall the erector spinae muscles. They usually describe the position from lateral to medial.
I Like Standing
I Love Sex
I Long for Spinach
I Like Siri
Mnemonic
I: iliocostalis
L: longissimus
S: spinalis
Article
AO Spine classification of upper cervical injuries
The AO Spine classification of upper cervical injuries is a concise and comprehensive system for categorizing the spectrum of traumatic bony and ligamentous injuries involving the occipital condyles, atlas (C1), or axis (C2).
Usage
The AO Spine upper cervical classification system is relativel...
Article
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a severe demyelinating diseases, which in seropositive cases, is caused by an autoantibody to the aquaporin-4 water channel. The classic presentation of NMOSD is with the triad of optic neuritis, longitudinally extensive myelitis, and positive an...
Article
Three column concept of spinal fractures
The three-column concept of thoracolumbar spinal fractures (of Denis) forms the basis of a number of widely used thoracolumbar spinal fracture classification systems.
Usage
While the three-column concept was initially developed for classification of thoracolumbar spinal fractures, it can also ...
Article
Scheuermann disease
Scheuermann disease, also known as juvenile kyphosis, juvenile discogenic disease 11, or vertebral epiphysitis, is a common condition which results in kyphosis of the thoracic or thoracolumbar spine. The diagnosis is usually made on plain radiograph.
Epidemiology
occurs in ~5% (range 0.4-8%) o...
Article
Osteoarthritis of the vertebral column
Osteoarthritis of the vertebral column, also known as spinal osteoarthritis, is so common that it is widely known as spinal "degenerative change". Complications such as spinal stenosis are important to recognize.
Radiographic features
Spinal osteoarthritis presents radiologically like other j...
Article
Spinal neurofibroma
Spinal neurofibromas are benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors, usually of the localized subtype.
This article specifically relates to spinal neurofibromas. For a general discussion of neurofibromas, including their epidemiology and pathology, refer to neurofibroma. For a discussion of the gene...
Article
Cervical degenerative spondylosis (grading)
Cervical degenerative disease is extremely common. Cervical spondylosis can be graded using a very old but reliable classification devised by Jonas Kellgren et al 1,2. It is based on findings on a lateral cervical spine radiograph although it can also be applied to MRI evaluation of spine.
The ...
Article
Erosion of the odontoid process (differential)
Erosion of the odontoid peg can result from a number of pathological entities:
inflammatory arthropathy
rheumatoid arthritis: classic 1,2
systemic lupus erythematosus
crystal arthropathy
calcium pyrophosphate arthropathy (CPPD): relatively common
gout
non-inflammatory arthropathy: osteoar...
Article
Grisel syndrome
Grisel syndrome is a rare cause of torticollis that involves subluxation of atlanto-axial joint from inflammatory ligamentous laxity following an infectious process in the head and neck, usually a retropharyngeal abscess.
Epidemiology
It usually occurs in infants or young children.
Clinical p...
Article
Tight filum terminale syndrome
Tight filum terminale syndrome, or tight filum syndrome, is a subtype of the tethered cord syndrome that is attributed to a thick, short, and/or otherwise inelastic filum terminale rather than other tethering agents.
Terminology
The term "tight filum terminale syndrome" is synonymous with "tet...
Article
Thoracic spine (lateral view)
The thoracic spine lateral view images the thoracic spine, which consists of twelve vertebrae.
Indications
This projection is utilized in many imaging contexts including trauma, postoperatively, and for chronic conditions. It can help to visualize any compression fractures, subluxation or kyph...
Article
Annulus fibrosus
The annulus fibrosus (plural: annuli fibrosi) surrounds the nucleus pulposus and together they form the intervertebral disc.
Gross anatomy
The annulus comprises 15 to 20 collagenous (type I) laminae which run obliquely from the edge of one vertebra down to the edge of the vertebra below. The d...
Article
Adjacent level ossification
Adjacent level ossification is a complication of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with anterior plate stabilization. It represents pathological heterotopic ossification of the soft tissues above or below the ends of the plate, contiguous with the adjacent vertebral body. It occurs ...
Article
Middle clunal nerve entrapment
Middle clunal nerve entrapment is a potential cause of low back pain. The middle clunal nerves travel beneath the long posterior sacroiliac ligament and this is a potential space for nerve entrapment 1.
Clinical presentation
Low back pain and leg pain can be caused by entrapment of these nerve...
Article
Subaxial cervical spine injury classification
The subaxial cervical spine injury classification (SLIC) system and severity score is a system for cervical spine trauma that helps guide treatment and predicts prognosis.
Classification
Three parameters are assessed, two being radiologic determined and the last being a clinical assessment 1.
...
Article
Tuli classification of occipital condyle fractures
The Tuli classification of occipital condyle fractures is a clinically-oriented system for describing these injuries based on fracture displacement and ligamentous injury. It is newer than the more well-known Anderson and Montesano classification of occipital condyle fractures and allows the inc...
Article
Spinal metastasis
Spinal metastasis is a vague term that can be variably taken to refer to metastatic disease to any of the following:
vertebral metastases (94%)
may have epidural extension
intradural extramedullary metastases (5%)
intramedullary metastases (1%)
Each of these are discussed separately. Below ...
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