Other Spine Diseases
More Than IVDD
There is more to spine pathology than just IVDD! On this page, there will be case examples of non-IVDD pathology in the spine, and a list of any useful sequences.
Discospondylitis
Discospondylitis is an infection of the vertebral endplates and intervertebral disc, most commonly of bacterial origin. Some notable features are:
- Collapse of the IVD
- STIR/T2 hyperintensity
- Contrast enhancement
- Paravertebral inflammation or fluid like collections
- sclerotic changes to vertebrae
Useful sequences:
- STIR
- T1 with and without fat saturation
- T1 post contrast with fat saturation
Arachnoid Diverticulum
Some notable features of arachnoid diverticulum:
- Scalpel sign
- Gliosis
- Lesion demonstrates CSF signal characteristics
Useful Sequences:
- 3D Myelogram
- 3D FIESTA-C / CISS
- Sag T2 FSE
Fibrocartilaginous Embolism (FCE)
FCE is like a 'stroke' in the spinal cord; a small piece of IVD embolizes into a small spinal artery and occludes blood flow leading to ischemia or infarction in the spinal cord.
Notable Features:
- Sharply Demarcated
- Grey matter affected
- Can be linear
- Possible hemorrhage
- Swelling of the spinal cord
- Possible gad enhancement
- T2/STIR hyperintensity
Useful Sequences:
- T2 or STIR
- T1 Post Gad
- T2* if hemorrhage
- DWI if specialized sequences are available
