Summary of Key Points Cervical spine deformity is a leading cause of morbidity and poor patient quality of life in the adult spinal deformity population. Although a standardized classification system is yet to be validated, the most common qualitative radiographic…
Summary of Key Points The disc has a complex organization that confers unique biomechanical properties. Disc subtissues (nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and end plate) have differing matrix structures and cell phenotypes. Poor vascular supply is an important factor affecting the…
Summary of Key Points The thoracic spine has unique biomechanical and physiological features, creating a relatively rigid transition zone flanked by more mobile cervical and lumbar regions. The thoracic spinal cord is less prone to dynamic compression than the cervical…
Summary of Key Points Cervical spondylosis is present radiographically in nearly 95% of the population by age 65 years. Intervertebral disc desiccation initiates the cascade of cervical spondylosis. Cervical spine ligaments and joints undergo hypertrophy and osteophyte formation to increase…
Summary of Key Points The Chiari malformations are a spectrum of developmental conditions involving bone and parenchymal abnormalities of the hindbrain and craniovertebral junction. The Chiari I malformation is defined by the anatomic anomaly of cerebellar tonsil descent below the…
Summary of Key Points Small dural defects can lead to devastating neurological disease. Superficial siderosis, spinal cord herniation, spontaneous intracranial hypotension, and segmental amyotrophy represent a continuum of disease secondary to dural deficiencies and can present as distinct pathological entities…
Summary of Key Points Tarlov cysts are common, occurring in 1% to 2% of persons undergoing spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly in the sacrum. Some 10% to 30% are potentially symptomatic. Sacral nerve root compression by the cyst/s can…
Summary of Key Points Congenital and developmental deformities in the cervical spine are rare but clinically relevant; failure to recognize a deformity can result in otherwise preventable neurological injury. As a pediatric patient grows, the movement of the cervical spine…
Summary of Key Points The atlantoaxial joint is the most mobile and the most unstable joint of the body. The round and flat articular surface of the joint allows circumferential movements but makes it susceptible to instability. Apart from the…
Summary of Key Points The etiology of development spondylolisthesis is multifactorial, and involves hereditary, traumatic, biomechanical, growth, and morphological factors. Assessment of global sagittal balance in spondylolisthesis should include a thorough assessment of the alignment of the spine, pelvis, and…