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 edited by countless contributing members over a period of time. A global group of dedicated editors oversee accuracy, consulting with expert advisers, and constantly reviewing additions.
588 results found
Article
Vanishing vertebrae
Vanishing vertebrae is a rare ischemic manifestation of sickle cell disease, in which a completely infarcted vertebral body literally disappears or vanishes, as a result of infarction. In the few reported cases, the posterior elements remain intact.
See also
codfish or h-shaped vertebrae
ante...
Article
Ventral cord herniation
Ventral cord herniation, also known by a variety of other terms such as spontaneous thoracic cord herniation or idiopathic spinal cord herniation, is a rare cause of focal myelopathy due to herniation of the thoracic cord through a dural defect.
Post surgical cord herniation can occur at any l...
Article
Ventral cord syndrome
Ventral cord syndrome (also known as anterior cord syndrome) is one of the incomplete cord syndromes and affects the anterior parts of the cord resulting in a pattern of neurological dysfunction dominated by motor paralysis and loss of pain, temperature and autonomic function. Anterior spinal ar...
Article
Ventral horn
The ventral horn of the spinal cord is one of the grey longitudinal columns found within the spinal cord. It contains the cell bodies of the lower motor neurons which have axons leaving via the ventral spinal roots on their way to innervate muscle fibers.
Gross anatomy
On transverse section of...
Article
Ventriculus terminalis
The ventriculus terminalis or terminal ventricle of Krause, also known as the 5th ventricle, is an ependymal-lined fusiform dilatation of the terminal central canal of the spinal cord, positioned at the transition from the tip of the conus medullaris to the origin of the filum terminale. This di...
Article
Vertebra
The vertebra (plural: vertebrae) is the fundamental segmental unit of the vertebral column (also known as the spine).
Gross anatomy
Vertebrae, apart from those that are atypical, have a similar basic structure which can be described as an anterior vertebral body and a posterior neural (or vert...
Article
Vertebral anomalies
The vertebral column is affected by a range of anatomical variants of the body and/or neural arch as well as accessory ossicles. Knowledge of basic vertebral anatomy and ossification is essential for describing and understanding the range of anomalies.
Variant anatomy
Vertebral body
hemiverte...
Article
Vertebral artery
The vertebral arteries (VA) are paired arteries, each arising from the respective subclavian artery and ascending in the neck to supply the posterior fossa and occipital lobes, as well as provide segmental vertebral and spinal column blood supply.
Summary
origin: branches off the 1st part of t...
Article
Vertebral artery loop formation
Vertebral artery loop formations occur when a portion of the vertebral artery contains an unusual coil. It can be a rare anatomical variant or can be acquired.
Epidemiology
Vertebral artery loops tend to be mostly diagnosed in the 5th and 6th decades. Its prevalence is uncertain but is thought...
Article
Vertebral body endplates
Vertebral body endplates form the interface between the vertebral bodies and the adjacent intervertebral discs. They are constituted peripherally by an epiphyseal bone ring and centrally by a cartilaginous layer. The cartilaginous layer is related to the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus and...
Article
Vertebral body mass
The differential diagnosis for a vertebral body mass is broad and may range from a completely benign, sclerotic enostosis (bone island) to a malignant primary bone tumor.
Classification
Broadly, these lesions can be separated into:
non-neoplastic lesions
primary bone tumors
secondary metast...
Article
Vertebral body squaring (differential)
Vertebral body squaring refers to the loss of normal concavity of the anterior border. It is seen in a variety of conditions including:
Differential diagnosis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is the most common cause of vertebral body squaring. It usually involves multiple level...
Article
Vertebral hemangioma
Vertebral hemangiomas are the most common benign vertebral neoplasms. They are usually asymptomatic and incidentally detected due to their characteristic features on imaging for other reasons. Rarely, they can be locally aggressive (see: aggressive vertebral hemangioma).
Please refer to the art...
Article
Vertebral lesion (differential)
Differential diagnosis of vertebral lesions includes:
Lesion originating in vertebral body
intraosseous hemangioma
metastases
Paget disease
multiple myeloma
osteonecrosis
vertebral body osteomyelitis
lymphoma
plasmacytoma
giant cell tumor
Langerhans cell histiocytosis
fibrous dyspl...
Article
Vertebral levels (anatomical landmarks)
Many vertebral levels are associated with key anatomical landmarks. Below is a summary of vertebral levels and associated internal or surface anatomy. Please note that some texts differ slightly on certain levels and levels may be altered by patient positioning (supine versus erect) and patient ...
Article
Vertebral metastases
Vertebral metastases represent the secondary involvement of the vertebral spine by haematogenously-disseminated metastatic cells. They must be included in any differential diagnosis of a spinal bone lesion in a patient older than 40 years.
This article will focus only on the metastasis involvin...
Article
Vertebral pneumatocyst
Vertebral pneumatocysts are gas-filled cavities within the spinal vertebrae. They are most common at cervical levels. In general, vertebral pneumatocysts are less common than intraosseous pneumatocysts in the pelvis, especially adjacent to the sacroiliac joint.
Pathogenesis
Although not comple...
Article
Vertebral scalloping
Vertebral scalloping is a concavity to the posterior (or less commonly anterior) aspect of the vertebral body when viewed in a lateral projection. A small amount of concavity is normal, as is concavity of the anterior vertebral body (see vertebral body squaring).
Posterior scalloping
Causes of...
Article
Vertebral vascular foramen
Vertebral vascular foramina, also known as Hahn canal or cleft, are normal findings seen on cross-sectional imaging and should not be mistaken for a fracture, especially in the setting of trauma. They transmit:
basivertebral veins (forms Hahn's canal): foramen is seen on the posterior surface o...
Article
Vertebral venous plexus
The vertebral venous plexus is a highly anastomotic network of valveless veins running along the entire length of the vertebral column from the foramen magnum to the sacral hiatus.
Gross anatomy
The vertebral venous plexus is comprised of three interconnected divisions:
internal vertebral ven...
Article
Vertebra plana
Vertebra plana (pleural: vertebrae planae), also known as the pancake or silver dollar or coin-on-edge vertebra, is the term given when a vertebral body has lost almost its entire height anteriorly and posteriorly, representing a very advanced compression fracture.
Pathology
It can occur in a ...
Article
Vertebroplasty
Vertebroplasty is an imaging-guided procedure which entails percutaneous injection of surgical polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement into a diseased vertebral body. Vertebroplasty provides pain relief and strengthening of the bone of vertebrae weakened by disease.
Indications
It can be used as ...
Article
Wedge fracture
Wedge fractures are hyperflexion injuries to the vertebral body resulting from axial loading. Most commonly affecting the anterior aspect, wedge fractures are considered a single-column (i.e. stable) fracture.
Less commonly wedge fractures refer to a subtype of tibial plateau fractures. This a...
Article
Whiplash syndrome
Whiplash syndrome, also known as whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), are the various symptoms caused by rapid acceleration and/or deceleration injuries, which result in cervical sprain or strain.
Epidemiology
Whiplash is a common injury, usually associated with motor vehicle collisions 1-5. T...
Article
White cord syndrome
White cord syndrome refers to the sudden onset of neurological deterioration following spinal decompressive surgery. The condition is believed to be a form of reperfusion injury of the spinal cord, not to be confused with central cord syndrome.
Epidemiology
White cord syndrome is rare with onl...
Article
White matter
The white matter is the substance of the brain and spinal cord that contains the fiber tracts of neuronal axons in the central nervous system. The term is due to the paler color of the lipid-rich myelin that encases the axons in the tracts compared to the grey matter, which contains predominantl...
Article
White matter tracts of the spinal cord
The spinal cord has numerous tracts of white matter that ascend and descend in the peripheral substance of the cord. They can be divided by their location and function:
anterolateral columns
anterior corticospinal tract
medial longitudinal fasiculus
spinothalamic tracts
lateral spinothalami...
Article
WHO classification of CNS tumors
The WHO classification of CNS tumors is the most widely accepted system for classifying CNS tumors and was based on the histological characteristics of the tumor. Although the most recent version of the 'blue book' is the 4th edition from 2007, an update has been released in 2016 3, which should...
Article
Winking owl sign (spine)
The (absent) pedicle sign, also called the winking owl sign, occurs on plain film when a pedicle is absent.
The term, winking owl sign, where the missing pedicle corresponds to the closed eye, the contralateral pedicle to the other open eye, and the spinous process to the beak of the animal on ...
Article
Y sign (epidural lipomatosis)
The Y sign refers to a common appearance in lumbar epidural lipomatosis where excess fat in the extradural space compresses the dural sac into the shape of the letter "Y".
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