Abstract
Spine is a complex and long structure in the human body. Visualization of the spine is essential to treat and manage spine disease and commonly requires further imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In most clinical fields, spine CT and MRI examinations are focused on the region of interest. However, spine is composed of cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum and coccyx and sometimes demands examination of entire structure as well as regional spine depending on disease, patient’s state and physician’s decision. This review considers the available literature to describe when and how full length spine evaluation by CT and MRI is applied according to each spinal disease such as spinal trauma, deformity, infection, axial spondyloarthropathy and metastatic tumor.
Highlights
There are multiple imaging modalities to evaluate the spine
This review considers the available literature to describe when and how full length spine evaluation by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is applied according to each spinal disease such as spinal trauma, deformity, infection, axial spondyloarthropathy and metastatic tumor
Full length spine CT and MRI plays a significant role in diagnosis and management in spinal trauma and disease
Summary
There are multiple imaging modalities to evaluate the spine. The type of imaging tool for the spine depends on the type of disease, the amount of radiation hazard, contraindications and any allergy to contrast.Among the multiple imaging strategies, computed tomography (CT) is a reliable method to evaluate the spine and has better sensitivity for bony abnormality than radiography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [1]. There are multiple imaging modalities to evaluate the spine. The type of imaging tool for the spine depends on the type of disease, the amount of radiation hazard, contraindications and any allergy to contrast. Among the multiple imaging strategies, computed tomography (CT) is a reliable method to evaluate the spine and has better sensitivity for bony abnormality than radiography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [1]. The time factor limited the use of CT. Owing to the development of fast spiral CT and multidirectional CT (MDCT), the whole spine can be examined in very short time [2]. CT is less sensitive to patient’s movement than MRI [3]. It is widely used to assess trauma, deformity, metastasis, pre and post-operative
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