Lumbar spinal canal stenosis is a common disease of the elderly patient, with a high prevalence and clinical importance. MRI is the established method of choice for the imaging of spinal canal stenosis. However, there is often a discrepancy between the clinical symptoms and the spinal canal stenosis as shown using MRI in a supine position. In such cases preoperative functional imaging is often warranted. ⋯ Using upright MRI a functional spinal canal stenosis can be shown. The pathomechanisms of the spinal canal stenosis are discussed. The possibilities and limitations of this new imaging modality are presented and analysed.
Radiologie, Privatpraxis für Upright MRT, Köln. p.niggemann@mrt-koeln.de
Z Orthop Unfall. 2009 Mar 1; 147 (2): 205-9.
AimLumbar spinal canal stenosis is a common disease of the elderly patient, with a high prevalence and clinical importance. MRI is the established method of choice for the imaging of spinal canal stenosis. However, there is often a discrepancy between the clinical symptoms and the spinal canal stenosis as shown using MRI in a supine position. In such cases preoperative functional imaging is often warranted.MethodsIn an image gallery three cases of a functional spinal canal stenosis of the lumbar spine are shown. In all three patients a dynamic, positional MRI (upright MRI) was performed.ResultsThe pathomechanisms of the spinal canal stenosis could be shown in all three cases.ConclusionUsing upright MRI a functional spinal canal stenosis can be shown. The pathomechanisms of the spinal canal stenosis are discussed. The possibilities and limitations of this new imaging modality are presented and analysed.