Abstract
T1- and T2-weighted images are routinely performed in the evaluation of the spine. With T1-weighting, the intervertebral disc demonstrates fairly homogeneous signal intensity that is slightly less than that of the vertebral body red marrow. Epidural fat can be distinguished by its relatively bright appearance or high signal intensity (1). Nerve tissue, on the other hand, is of low intensity (dark appearance) but may still be differentiated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which appears black with an even lower signal. The thin lines of low signal intensity along the superior and inferior borders of vertebral bodies represent the cortical endplates and have been confirmed by correlation with cadaveric specimens (2).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
L Modic MT, Pavlicek W, Weinstein MA, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of intervertebral disk disease. Clinical and pulse sequence considerations. Radiology 1984; 152: 103–111.
Pech P, Haughton VM. Lumbar intervertebral disk: correlative MR and anatomic study. Radiology 1985; 156: 699–701.
Herzog RJ. The radiologie assessment for a lumbar disc herniation. Spine 1996; 21 (24 Suppl): 19S - 38S.
Yu S, Haughton VM, Sether LA, et al. Criteria for classifying normal and degenerated lumbar intervertebral disks. Radiology 1989; 170: 523–526.
Winter DD, Munk PL, Helms CA, Holt RG. CT and MR of lateral disc herniation: typical appearance and pitfalls of interpretation. Can Assoc Radiol J 1989; 40: 256–259.
Bosacco SJ, Berman AT. Surgical management of lumbar disc disease. Radiol Clin North Am 1983; 21: 377–393.
Jensen MC, Brant-Zawadzki MN, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine in people without back pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331: 69–73.
Boden S, Davis DO, Dina TS, et al. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1990; 72: 403–408.
Milette PC, Melanson D. Lumbar diskography. Radiology 1987;163:828–829
Teplick JG, Haskin ME. CT and lumbar disc herniation. Radiol Clin North Am 1983; 21: 259–288.
Yu SW, Haughton VM, Sether LA, Wagner M. Anulus fibrosus in bulging intervertebral disks. Radiology 1988; 169: 761–763.
Ross JS, Modic MT, Masaryk TJ. Tears of the anulus fibrosus: assessment with Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging. Am J Neuroradiol 1989; 10: 1251–1254.
Masaryk TJ, Ross JS, Modic MT, et al. High-resolution MR imaging of sequestered lumbar intervertebral disks. Am J Roentgenol 1988; 150: 1155–1162.
Mikhael MA, Ciric IS, Kudrna JC, Hindo WA. Recognition of lumbar disc disease with magnetic resonance imaging. Comput Radiol 1985; 9: 213–222.
Kim KY, Kim YT, Lee CS, Shin MJ. MRI classification of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc. Orthopedics 1992; 15: 493–497.
Williams AL, Haughton VM, Daniels DL, Thornton RS. CT recognition of lateral lumbar disk herniation. Am J Roentgenol 1982; 139: 345–347.
Fries JW, Abodeely DA, Vijungco JG, et al. Computed tomography of herniated and extruded nucleus pulposus. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1982; 6: 874–887.
Modic MT, Masaryk T, Boumphrey F, et al. Lumbar herniated disk disease and canal stenosis: prospective evaluation by surface coil MR, CT, and myelography. Am J Neuroradiol 1986; 7: 709–717.
Boutin RD, Steinbach LS, Finnesey K. MR imaging of degenerative diseases in the cervical spine. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 2000; 8: 471–490.
Yong-Hing K, Kirkaldy-Willis WH. The pathophysiology of degenerative disease of the lumbar spine. Orthop Clin North Am 1983;14:491–504
Herkowitz HN. Spine update. Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Spine 1995; 20: 1084–1090.
Hilibrand AS, Rand N. Degenerative lumbar stenosis: diagnosis and management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 1999; 7: 239–249.
Yu SW, Haughton VM, Ho PS, et al. Progressive and regressive changes in the nucleus pulposus. Part II. The adult. Radiology 1988; 169: 93–97.
Nizard RS, Wybier M, Laredo JD. Radiologie assessment of lumbar intervertebral instability and degenerative spondylolisthesis. Radiol Clin North Am 2001; 39: 55–71.
Gundry CR, Fritts HM. Magnetic resonance imaging of the musculoskeletal system. Part 8. The spine, section 2. Clin Orthop 1997;(343): 260–271.
Jinkins JR. MR evaluation of stenosis involving the neural foramina, lateral recesses, and central canal of the lumbosacral spine. MRI Clin N Am 1999; 7: 493–511.
Modic MT, Steinberg PM, Ross JS, et al. Degenerative disk 50 disease: assessment of changes in vertebral body marrow with MR imaging. Radiology 1988; 166: 193–199.
Grenier N, Kressel HY, Schiebler ML, Grossman RI. Isthmic spondylolysis of the lumbar spine: MR imaging at 1.5 T. Radiology 1989; 170: 489–493.
Schonstrom N, Willen J. Imaging lumbar spinal stenosis. 52 Radiol Clin North Am 2001; 39: 31–53.
Postacchini F. Surgical management of lumbar spinal steno-sis. Spine 1999; 24: 1043–1047.
Schonstrom N, Willen J. Imaging lumbar spinal stenosis. Radiol Clin North Am 2001; 39: 31–53.
Ciricillo SF, Weinstein PR. Lumbar spinal stenosis. West 54 J Med 1993; 158: 171–177.
Heithoff KB, Gundry CR, Burton CV, Winter RB. Juvenile discogenic disease. Spine 1994; 19: 335–340. 55
Greene TL, Hensinger RN, Hunter LY. Back pain and vertebral changes simulating cheuermann’s disease. J Pediatr 56 Orthop 1985; 5: 1–7.
Wassmann K. Kyphosis juvenilis Scheuermann-an occupational disorder. Acta Orthop Scand 1946; 21: 65–74.
Resnick D, Niwayama G. Intravertebral disk herniations: cartilaginous (Schmorl’s) nodes. Radiology 1978; 126: 57–65.
Hamanishi C, Kawabata T, Yosii T, Tanaka S. Schmorl’s nodes on magnetic resonance imaging. Their incidence and clinical relevance. Spine 1994; 19: 450–453.
Reddy S, Keite CC, Jinkins JR. Imaging of Infectious Disease of the Spine. Spine: State of the Art Reviews 1995; 9: 119–140.
Rothman MI, Zoarski GH. Imaging Basis of Disc Space Infection. Seminars in US, CT, and MRI. 1993; 14: 437–445.
Stabler A, Reiser MF. Imaging of spinal infection. Radio-logic Clin North Am 2001; 39: 115–135.
Elghazawi AK. Clinical syndromes and differential diagnosis of spinal disorders. Radio Clin North Am 1991; 29: 651–663.
Cypress BK. Characteristics of physician visits for back symptoms: a national perspective. Am J Public Health 1983; 73: 389.
Modic MT. Degenerative disc disease and back pain. MRI Clin North Am 1999; 7: 481.
Dagirmanjian A, Schils J, McHenry MC. MR imaging of spinal infections. MRI Clin North Am 1999; 7: 525–538.
Modic MT, Feiglin D, Piraindo D, et al. Vertebral osteomyelitis: assessment using MR. Radiology 1985; 157: 157–166.
Resnick D, Niwayama G. Osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and soft tissue infection: axial skeleton. In: Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Disorders, 3rd edit. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1995; 2419–2447.
Ratcliffe JF. Anatomic basis for the pathogenesis and radio-logic features of vertebral osteomyelitis and its differentiation from childhood discitis. A microarteriographic investigation. Acta Radiol Diagnosis 1985; 26: 137–143.
Wiley AM, Trueta J. The vascular anatomy of the spine and its relationship to pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. J Bone 70. Joinet Surg (Br) 1959; 41: 796–809.
Smith AS, Weinstein MA, Mizushima A, et al. MR imaging 71. characteristics of tuberculous spondylitis vs. vertebral osteomyelitis. Am J Roentgenol 1989; 153: 399–405.
Sharif HS. Role of MR imaging in the management of spinal infections. Am J Roentgenol 1992; 158: 1333–1345.
Mirowitz SA, Apicella P, Reinus WR, Hammerman AM. MR imaging of bone marrow lesions: relative conspicuousness on T1-weighted, fat-suppresses T2-weighted, and STIR images. Am J Roentgenol 1994; 162: 215–221.
Dagirmanjian A, Schils J, McHenry M, Modic MT. MR imaging of vertebral osteomyelitis revisited. Am J Roentgenol 1996; 167: 1539–1543.
Gero B, Sze G, Sharif H. MR imaging of intradural inflammatory diseases of the spine. Am J Neuroradiol 1991; 12: 1009–1019.
Post MJ, Sze G, Quencer RM, et al. Gadolinium enhanced MR in spinal infection. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1990; 14: 721–729.
Sharif HS, Clark DC, Aabed MY, et al. Granulomatous spinal infections: MR imaging. Radiology 1990;177: l 01–107.
Gillams AR, Chaddha B, Carter AP. MR appearances of the temporal evolution and resolution of infectious spondylitis. Am J Roentgenol 1996; 166: 903–907.
Thrush A, Enzmann D. MR imaging of infectious spondylitis. Am J Neuroradiol 1990; 11: 1171–1180.
Whalen MA, Schonfeld S, Post JD, et al. Computed tomography of nontuberculous spinal infection. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1985; 9: 280–297.
Whalen MA, Naidich DP, Donovan Post MJ, et al. Computed tomography of spinal tuberculosis. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1983; 7: 25–30
An HS, Vaccaro AR, Dolinskas CA, et al. Differentiation between spinal tumors and infections with magnetic resonance imaging. Spine 1991; 16: 334–338.
Resnick D, Niwayama G. Ankylosing spondylitis. In: Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Disorders, 3rd edit. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1995; 1103–1170.
Resnick D, Niwayama G. Psoriatic arthritis. In: Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Disorders, 3rd edit. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1995; 1171–1198.
Resnick D. Reiter’s syndrome. In: Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Disorder, 3rd edit. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1995; 1199–1217.
Boden S, Davis DO, Pina TS, et al. Postoperative diskitis: distinguishing early MR findings from normal postoperative disk space changes. Radiology 1992; 184: 765–771.
De Roos A, Kressel H, Spritzer C, et al. MR imaging of marrow changes adjacent to end plates in degenerative lumbar disc disease. Am J Roentgenol 1987; 149: 531–534.
Sevick JS, Wallace CJ. MR imaging of neoplasms of the lumbar spine. MRI Clin North Am 1999; 7: 539–553.
McLain RF, Weinstein JN. Tumors of the Spine. Semin Spine Surg 1990; 2: 157.
Masaryk TJ. Neoplastic disease of the spine. Radiol Clin North Am 1991; 29: 829–845.
Murphey MD, Andrews CL, Flemming DJ, Termple HT, Smith WS, Smirniotopoulos JG. Primary tumors of the spine: radiologic pathologic correlation. Radiographies 1996; 16: 1131–1158.
Osborn AG. In: Diagnostic Neuroradiology. Philadelphia: Mosby, 1994;830–836 and 876–918.
Sze G, Krol G, Zimmerman RD. Intramedullary diseases of the spine: diagnosis using gado-Linium-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging. Am J Neuroradiol 1988; 9: 847.
Valk J. Gadolinium-DTPA in MR of spinal lesions. Am J Neuroradiol 1988; 9: 345.
Bundschuh CV, Modic MT, Ross JS, et al. Epidural fibrosis and recurrent disc herniation in the lumbar spine: MR imaging assessment. Am J Roentgenol 1988; 150: 923–932.
Ross JS. MR Imaging of the postoperative spine. MRI Clin North Am 1999; 7: 513–523.
Bowen BC, Pattany PM. MR angiography of the spine. MRI Clin North Am 1998; 6: 165.
Detweiler PW, Porter RW, Spetzler RF. Spinal arteriovenous malformation. Neurosurg Clin Am 1999; 10: 89–100.
Thorpe JW, Kendall BE, Mcmanus DF, et al. Dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MRI in the detection of spinal arteriovenous malformations. Neuroradiology 1994; 36: 522.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mandelker, E.M., Cordero, G.G., Son, D.H., McGraw, J.K. (2004). Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Spine. In: McGraw, J.K. (eds) Interventional Radiology of the Spine. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-418-4_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-418-4_3
Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ
Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-419-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-418-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive