Article Review 13

Authors’ names

Aria Nouri, MD, Msc, Allan r. Martin, MD, David Mikulis, MD, and  Michael g. Fehlings, MD, PhD, FrCsC

Article name

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment Of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Review Of Structural Changes And Measurement Techniques

Journal Name

Journal of Neurosurgery (JNS)

Bibliography

Nouri, A., Martin, A. R., Mikulis, D., & Fehlings, M. G. (2016). Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of degenerative cervical myelopathy: a review of structural changes and measurement techniques, Neurosurgical Focus FOC, 40(6), E5. Retrieved Jan 8, 2019, from https://thejns.org/view/journals/neurosurg-focus/40/6/article-pE5.xml

Purpose of the article

The purpose of this article was to acknowledge MRI as the most preferred modality to assess cervical myelopathy.

Brief Description of Procedure and Findings/Results

This article is using systematic review that shows some techniques are categorized anatomically into those that focus on bone, ligaments, discs, and the spinal cord. In addition, measurements for the cervical spine canal size and sagittal alignment are also described briefly. These tools have resulted collectively in the identification of numerous useful parameters. However, the development of multiple techniques for assessing the same feature, such as cord compression, has also resulted in a number of challenges, including introducing ambiguity in terms of which methods to use and hindering effective comparisons of analysis in the literature. In addition, newer techniques that use advanced MRI are emerging and providing exciting new tools for assessing the spinal cord in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Conclusions and Comments

Degenerative cervical myelopathy encompasses a spectrum of age-related structural changes of the cervical spine that result in static and dynamic injury to the spinal cord and collectively represent the most common cause of myelopathy in adults. Although cervical myelopathy is determined clinically, the diagnosis requires confirmation via imaging, and MRI is the preferred modality.

The opinion of the article

This article managed to give me a thought that magnetic resonance imaging is the most common imaging modality that used to facilitate of diagnosis the cervical myelopathy. It proved that details from image generated from MRI are sufficient as MRI can give better image of spinal cord, ligament and bone of spine.