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.
740 results found
Article
Angiolipoma
Angiolipomas are rare soft tissue tumors composed of mature adipocytes and vessels. They most commonly arise in the subcutaneous tissues of the extremities.
Please refer to the epidural (spinal) angiolipoma article for a specific discussion. The remainder of this article describes the general f...
Article
Fluoroscopic myelography
Fluoroscopic myelography is a technique that allows the visualization of the theca by the introduction of contrast medium into the CSF. This is usually accomplished by a lumbar puncture, or less commonly a suboccipital puncture.
The patient can then be tilted and rotated to cause the contrast, ...
Article
Spinal epidural venous plexus congestion
Spinal epidural venous plexus congestion or dilatation is typically a complication of other pathologies.
Clinical presentation
Radiculopathy caused by the dilated epidural veins is not uncommon 1. More severe symptoms such as cauda equina compression syndrome have been reported 6, 7.
Patholo...
Article
Craniovertebral junction anomalies
Craniovertebral junction (CVJ) anomalies can be congenital, developmental or due to malformation secondary to an acquired disease process. These anomalies can lead to cranial nerve compression, vertebral artery compression, and obstructive hydrocephalus.
Pathology
The craniovertebral junction ...
Article
Diastematomyelia
Diastematomyelia, also known as a split cord malformation, refers to a type of spinal dysraphism (spina bifida occulta) characterized by a longitudinal split in the spinal cord.
Terminology
Although traditionally, it has been distinguished from diplomyelia (in which the cord is duplicated rat...
Article
Basilar process
The basilar process, also known as the mammillar or papillar process, is a rare anatomical variant of the occipital bone that is part of the spectrum of occipital vertebrae 1.
Epidemiology
The basilar process is a rare variant, with a reported prevalence of 4% 2.
Clinical presentation
A basi...
Article
Scoliosis
Scoliosis (plural: scolioses) is defined as an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. It is quite common in young individuals and is often idiopathic and asymptomatic. In some cases, however, it is the result of underlying structural or neurological abnormalities.
Terminology
Early onset sco...
Article
Shiny corner sign (ankylosing spondylitis)
The shiny corner sign is a spinal finding in ankylosing spondylitis, representing reactive sclerosis secondary to inflammatory erosions at the superior and inferior endplates (corners on lateral radiograph) of the vertebral bodies, which are known as Romanus lesions. Eventually, the vertebral bo...
Article
Conus medullaris syndrome
Conus medullaris syndrome is caused by an injury or insult to the conus medullaris and lumbar nerve roots. It is a clinical subset of spinal cord injury syndromes. Injuries at the level of T12 to L2 vertebrae are most likely to result in conus medullaris syndrome.
Clinical presentation
Patient...
Article
Conus medullaris
The conus medullaris is the tapered inferior-most part of the spinal cord to which is attached the filum terminale.
Gross anatomy
The conus medullaris is conical in shape, tapering from the distal spinal cord to a narrow point from which a delicate strand of fibrous tissue called the filum ter...
Article
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is the part of the central nervous system found within the vertebral column's spinal canal. The cord extends from the corticomedullary junction at the foramen magnum of the skull down to the tip of the conus medullaris within the lumbar cistern. It is lined by the spinal pia mate...
Article
Von Hippel-Lindau disease
Von Hippel-Lindau (vHL) disease is characterized by the development of numerous benign and malignant tumors in different organs (at least 40 types 1) due to mutations in the VHL tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 3.
Epidemiology
The disease is rare with an estimated prevalence of 1:35,000-50,...
Article
Iliolumbar ligament
The iliolumbar ligament is a strong band of connective tissue which courses from the transverse process of L5 (in over 96% of cases) to the posterior iliac wing and crest of the ilium. It functions to maintain the alignment of L5 on the sacrum during various movements 1,2.
It is an important la...
Article
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension
Intracranial hypotension, also known as craniospinal hypotension is a clinical entity that results from a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak that almost without exception occurs from the spine, either into the epidural space or directly into veins in the setting of CSF-venous fistulas. It usually, b...
Article
C1-C2 false localizing sign (spine)
C1-C2 false localizing sign, sometimes referred to merely as C1-C2 sign, is seen on spinal imaging and can lead to the mislocalization of a CSF leak in individuals with intracranial hypotension.
There are numerous reports of fluid at this location that have been interpreted as the actual site ...
Article
Lumbar spinal stenosis (grading)
Lumbar spinal stenosis grading refers to systems for classifying the severity of lumbar spinal canal stenosis, especially the central zone, around the cauda equina nerve roots.
Overview
There are multiple systems for grading lumbar spinal stenosis in the central zone. The simplest classificati...
Article
Intervertebral disc disease nomenclature
Intervertebral disc disease nomenclature has changed over the years, and a familiarity with current definitions is essential if clear communication is to be achieved via radiology reports or referrals, especially as lumbar disc disease is a common problem and a source of a great deal of imaging....
Article
Tarlov cyst
Tarlov cysts, also called perineural cysts, are CSF-filled dilatations of the nerve root sheath at the dorsal root ganglion (posterior nerve root sheath). These are type II spinal meningeal cysts that are, by definition, extradural but contain neural tissue.
Most Tarlov cysts are asymptomatic, ...
Article
CT myelography
CT myelography (CTM) is a myelography technique used mainly to assess for potential spinal canal stenosis when MRI is contraindicated or when dynamic imaging is required.
History
CT myelography was first performed in 1976 2 and became the gold standard for imaging the spinal canal and cord unt...
Article
Spinal cord stimulator
Spinal cord stimulators, also known as dorsal column stimulators, are surgically placed devices intended to provide symptom relief in individuals with chronic neurological pain (e.g. failed back syndrome, brachial plexopathy, complex regional pain syndrome).
However, their use remains controver...
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.