1.3B.1 Introduction The introduction of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the field of spine trauma has vastly improved the clinical diagnosis of spinal cord injury (SCI). MRI has advantages over conventional X-ray and computer tomography (CT) as it more precisely…
1.3A.1 Introduction Prior to the 1980s a diagnosis of trauma to the spinal cord was largely inferred based on either X-rays showing misalignment of the spinal column or myelography whereby interruption of the flow of contrast medium in the cerebral…
1.2.1 Introduction The spinal cord is a common site of involvement in inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). The most common such disease, multiple sclerosis, is the leading cause of nontraumatic disability in young adults, with an…
1.1.1 Introduction Neuroaxonal injury of the spinal cord occurs in a broad spectrum of clinically and pathologically heterogeneous neurodegenerative diseases, typically with serious clinical consequences for patients. Typically, the clinical syndrome produced by injury to the spinal cord includes weakness…
How to Image the Foot and Ankle See the protocols for foot and ankle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the end of this chapter. The foot and ankle are among the most difficult anatomic sites to image, simply because of…
How to Image the Knee See the protocols for knee MRI at the end of this chapter. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee is the most frequently requested MRI joint study in musculoskeletal radiology. The reasons for this are…
How to Image the Hips and Pelvis See the hip and pelvis protocols at the end of the chapter. Coils and patient position: Generally, when evaluating the hips for entities such as avascular necrosis (AVN) or fractures, it is possible…
How to Image the Spine See spine protocols at the end of the chapter. Coils and patient position: Phased array spine coils should be used for all spine imaging. Patients are supine in the magnet. Image orientation ( Box 13.1…
How to Image the Wrist and Hand See the wrist and hand protocols at the end of the chapter. Coils and patient position: Some type of surface coil is an absolute requirement for proper wrist imaging. Many different coils may…
How to Image the Elbow Coils and patient position: The elbow is typically scanned with the patient in a supine position with the arm at the side and palm up. A surface coil is imperative for obtaining high-quality images. The…