title: Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of the posterior fossa and the spinal column.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more advantageous for evaluation of the posterior fossa and spinal column because it can delineate the brain stem and the spinal cord in multidimensional planes without intrathecal contrast and ionizing radiation. In 18 cases with posterior fossa tumors, MRI was definitely superior to computed tomography (CT) in 11 cases (61%) and was equally diagnostic in 5 cases (28%). In investigations in 58 cases of spinal disorders examined by MRI, MRI was useful in diagnosing intramedullary cord tumors, syringomyelias, herniated discs, and infections, but CT was still more diagnostic in spondylosis, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, and canal stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Aichi Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuo
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*