Incidental findings on MRI of the spine.
MRI is widely used as the imaging of choice for spinal disorders and may reveal either a clinically insignificant incidental abnormality or a significant lesion, unrelated to the spine, which may explain the patient's symptoms. This article attempts to establish the importance of such findings and describes a sensible approach to the reporting of MRI examinations of the spine with special attention to the incidental findings commonly encountered. The MRI characteristics of such findings are briefly described.
Kamath
S
S
Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Jain
N
N
Goyal
N
N
Mansour
R
R
Mukherjee
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D052801:Male Urogenital Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis