Radiological and Functional Research Methods in the Diagnosis of Segmental Instability in Cervical Osteochondrosis and of Cervicobrachial Syndrome

Abstract

This paper presents the analysis of diagnostic policy of 72 patients with cervical osteochondrosis and cervicobrachial syndrome. All patients were examined according to a single program, which included a specially designed questionnaire containing address data, diagnosis, history of life and illness, patient complaints, with a mandatory examination by a neurologist for the presence of compression of neural structures of the cervical spine with a detailed description of the local status and clinical and neurological syndromes. Patients underwent general spondylography of the cervical spine in the anteroposterior and lateral projections. For the diagnosis of segmental instability, functional spondylography was performed in the position of maximum flexion and extension and functional spondylography with burdening, which is based on mathematical modeling of the distribution of the vector force load system in the cervical spine under conditions of inclination of the head at an angle of 45° (flexion) and 15° (extension) with the weight on the head weighing up to 500 grams (putting a special device on the head). A mathematical formula for calculating the index of instability of the vertebral motor segment in the cervical spine is proposed. Sagittal balance of the cervical spine was studied with the correlative dependence of its indicators with the intensity of the pain syndrome according to standard spondylography and magnetic resonance imaging. Identified marker indicator of electroneuromyographic studies of the upper extremities - F-wave. Based on the obtained fundamental knowledge, an algorithm for diagnosing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and cervicobrachial syndrome has been developed and scientifically substantiated.