title: Incidental findings on MRI of the spine.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
mesh_terms: 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