Skip to main content

MRI in Degenerative Disease of the Spine

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
MRI of Degenerative Disease of the Spine

Abstract

Degenerative disease of the spinal column is highly prevalent in the general population and constitutes one of the most common causes of pain in society.

MRI provides a very sensitive method for examining degenerative phenomena of the spine, even in the initial stages of the disease.

T2-weighted sequences with fat saturation and, when indicated, T1-weighted sequences with fat saturation after intravenous administration of contrast medium provide a more sensitive picture of the degenerative changes of the spinal column and occasionally disclose pathologic conditions unsuspected during a “standard” MRI examination.

In this text-atlas, we deal with the following degenerative spinal changes, with particular attention on corresponding inflammatory aspects: disc degeneration, disc herniation, facet joint pathology (e.g. osteoarthritis, joint effusion, synovitis, and synovial cysts), spondylolysis, canal stenosis, spinal/perispinal ligamentous degenerative inflammatory changes and perispinal muscular changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. D’Aprile P, Tarantino A, Strada A et al (2002) Potenzialità delle sequenze Fat Suppression e del Gadolinio nello studio RM della patologia degenerativa lombare. Riv Neuroradiol 15:679–697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. D’Aprile P, Tarantino A, Jinkins JR et al (2007) The value of fat saturation sequences and contrast medium administration in MRI of degenerative disease of posterior/perispinal elements of the lumbosacral spine. Eur Radiol 17:523–531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Tarantino A, D’Aprile P et al (2003) Syndrome da low back pain. Sequenze RM Fat Saturation e Gadolinio nello studio del compartimento posteriore del rachide lombare. Riv Neuroradiol 16(Suppl 1):265–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Jinkins JR (2004) The anatomic and physiologic basis of local, referred and radiating lumbosacral pain syndromes related to disease of the spine. J Neuroradiol (Paris) 31:163–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. D’Aprile P, Tarantino A, Lorusso V et al (2006) Fat saturation technique and gadolinium in MRI of lumbar spinal degenerative disease. Neuroradiol J 19:654–671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Jinkins JR (2002) Acquired degenerative changes of the intervertebral segments at and supradjacent to the lumbosacral junction. Riv Neuroradiol 15:359–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Jinkins JR (2004) Acquired degenerative changes of the intervertebral segments at and supradjacent to the lumbosacral junction: a radioanatomic analysis of the nondiscal structures of the spinal column and perispinal soft tissues. Eur J Radiol 50:134–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Wybier M (2001) Imaging of lumbar degenerative changes involving structures other than disk space. Radiol Clin N Am 39(1):101–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Czervionke LF, Haughton VM (2002) Degenerative disease of the spine. In: Atlas SW (ed) Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine, vol II, 3rd edn. Lippincott, Philadelphia, PA, pp 1633–1713

    Google Scholar 

  10. Modic MT, Steinberg PM, Ross JS et al (1988) Degenerative disk disease: assessment of change in vertebral body marrow with MRI. Radiology 166:193–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Scarabino T, Pollice S (2014) Imaging spine after treatment. A case-based atlas. Springer, Milan

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Ulmer JL, Elster AD, Mathews VP, Allen AM (1995) Lumbar spondylolysis: reactive marrow changes seen in adjacent pedicles on MR images. AJR Am J Roentgenol 164:429–433

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Baastrup CI (1933) On the spinous processes of the lumbar vertebrae and the soft tissue between them and on pathological changes in that region. Acta Radiol 14:52–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Baastrup CI (1936) Le ‘lumbalgo’ et les affections radiologiques des apophyses épineuses des vertèbres lombaires, de la 1 re vertèbre sacrèe et des parties interepinéuses. J Radiol Electrol 20:78–93

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fujiwara A, Tamai K, An HS et al (2000) The interspinous ligament of the lumbar spine. Magnetic resonance images and their clinical significance. Spine 25(3):358–363

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Jinkins JR (2002) Lumbosacral interspinous ligament rupture associated with acute intrinsic spinal muscle degeneration. Eur Radiol 12:2370–2376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Rissanen PM (1962) “Kissing-spine” syndrome in the light of autopsy findings. Acta Orthop Scand 32:132–139

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Bywaters EGL (1979) Lesions of bursae, tendons and tendon sheaths. Clin Rheum Dis 5:883–925

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Goobar JE, Sartorius DJ, Hajeck PC et al (1987) Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spinous processes and adjacent soft tissues: normal and pathologic appearances. J Rheumatol 14:788–797

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Sartoris DJ, Resnick D, Tyson R, Haghighi P (1985) Age-related alterations in the vertebral spinous processes and intervening soft tissues: radiologic-pathologic correlation. AJR Am J Roentgenol 145:1025–1030

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Yahia H, Drouin G, Maurais G et al (1989) Degeneration of the human lumbar spine ligaments: an ultrastructural study. Pathol Res Pract 184:369–375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Jinkins JR, Dworkin JS, Damadian RV (2005) Upright, weight-bearing, dynamic-kinetic MRI of the spine: initial results. Eur Radiol 15(9):1815–1825

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Fleckenstein JL, Chason DP (1999) Skeletal muscles. In: Stark DD, Bradley WG (eds) Magnetic resonance imaging. Mosby, St. Louis, MO, pp 1057–1077

    Google Scholar 

Suggested Readings

  • Clarençon F, Law-Ye B, Bienvenot P et al (2016) The degenerative spine. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 24(3):495–513

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallucci M, Limbucci N, Paonessa A et al (2007) Degenerative disease of the spine. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 17(1):87–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen BB, Nordberg CL, Hansen P et al (2019) Weight-bearing MRI of the Lumbar Spine. Spinal Stenosis and Spondylolisthesis. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 23(6):621–633

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khalatbari K, Ansari H (2008) MRI of degenerative cysts of the lumbar spine. Clin Radiol 63(3):322–328

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mann E, Peterson CK, Jürg Hodler J et al (2014) The evolution of degenerative marrow (Modic) changes in the cervical spine in neck pain patients. Eur Spine J 23(3):584–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parizel PM, Van Hoyweghen AJL, Bali A et al (2016) The degenerative spine: pattern recognition and guidelines to image interpretation. Handb Clin Neurol 136:787–808

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sheng-yun L, Letu S, Jian C et al (2014) Comparison of modic changes in the lumbar and cervical spine, in 3167 patients with and without spinal pain. PLoS One 9(12):e114993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Splendiani A, Bruno F, Marsecano C et al (2019) Modic I changes size increase from supine to standing MRI correlates with increase in pain intensity in standing position: uncovering the “biomechanical stress” and “active discopathy” theories in low back pain. Eur Spine J 28(5):983–992

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

D’Aprile, P., Tarantino, A. (2021). MRI in Degenerative Disease of the Spine. In: MRI of Degenerative Disease of the Spine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73707-8_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73707-8_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-73706-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-73707-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics