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62nd Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)
Joint Meeting with the Polish Society of Neurosurgeons (PNCH)

German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

7 - 11 May 2011, Hamburg

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3T kinematic MRI of the cervical spine: A feasibility study

Meeting Abstract

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  • S. Fleck - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Greifswald, Greifswald, Deutschland
  • S. Langner - Institut für Diagnostische Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Universitätsklinikum Greifswald, Greifswald, Deutschland
  • R. Seipel - Institut für Diagnostische Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Universitätsklinikum Greifswald, Greifswald, Deutschland
  • C. Rosenstengel - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Greifswald, Greifswald, Deutschland
  • J. Baldauf - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Greifswald, Greifswald, Deutschland
  • H.W.S. Schroeder - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Greifswald, Greifswald, Deutschland

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Polnische Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgen. 62. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC), Joint Meeting mit der Polnischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgen (PNCH). Hamburg, 07.-11.05.2011. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2011. DocP 082

doi: 10.3205/11dgnc303, urn:nbn:de:0183-11dgnc3034

Published: April 28, 2011

© 2011 Fleck et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Objective: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using kinetic MRI studies to further understand structural and functional alterations, especially after anterior cervical fusion vs. prosthesis operations. Until now, motion MRI studies have been limited by the small diameter of the MRI bore and the low resolution with a reduced signal-to-noise ratio.

Methods: 10 healthy test subjects (7 females, 3 males; mean age 36.8 ± 11.98 a) and 16 patients complaining of radiculopathy (11 f, 5 m; 46.5 ± 10.53 a) were examined with 3T MRI (T2-weighted) (Magnetom Verio, SIEMENS) with a flexible 4-channel coil. The cervical spine was positioned (flexion, extension, neutral position) using positioning pillows. T2 3D-SPACE and T2 TSE sequences were taken, and axial views were reconstructed. Range of motion (ROM), width of foramina and spinal canal, change of subarachnoid space and volume of discs were analyzed with Osirix®.

Results: We found a strong correlation between ROMs in functional plain radiographs and in MRI, with no statistical differences. In total, the MRI sequences lasted 18:24 min. The examination allowed for the excellent visualization of the above described structures. The interpretation of the MRI may be limited by the possibility of susceptibility artefacts after cervical fusion or arthoplasty. While the kinetic study using positioning pillows allowed no dynamic visualization, it offered high-resolution pictures at the movement endpoints.

Conclusions: Our study was able to demonstrate the feasibility of a kinematic study of the cervical spine in a wide-bore 3T MRI. It allows for the excellent visualization of each motion segment, changes in sagittal alignment, disc degeneration, neuronal and bony structures, and the subarachnoid space. This examination tool seems to be an excellent means of further understanding the development of degenerative changes after anterior spine surgeries. This is useful in ruling out an indication profile for prosthesis operations and in evaluating ligamentous injuries of the cervical spine. Furthermore, it may further help us to describe postoperative changes in adjacent disc levels after anterior fusion and prosthesis operations to further evaluate the role of prosthesis procedures.